JP7608041B2 - Mobile communication terminal, computer program, and parking lot management system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to information and communication technology that allows a person to check the time when parking began even when away from a parking lot that does not issue parking tickets.

In the most typical case of hourly parking, a parking ticket is received at the entrance to the parking lot, which is then presented when leaving, with the difference between the time of entry and the time of exit being used as the parking time and the parking fee being paid. To make this an unmanned facility, a payment machine and a blocking means (for example, a locking plate or a barrier) are provided, and the blocking means is activated when a vehicle enters a parking space, and once payment is made at the payment machine, the blocking means is deactivated and the vehicle can leave.

With recent advances in image processing technology and improvements and reduced costs in communication infrastructure, some parking lots now take photos of license plates with cameras installed at the entrances to the parking lot, and use the images and the time they were taken to calculate parking fees and manage payment procedures.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses technology that allows for management of entry and exit from parking spaces without a locking plate. In such parking lots, parking tickets can be eliminated, which has the advantage of eliminating the need for ticket issuing machines and maintenance such as refilling the paper used in the ticket issuing machines.

A more detailed explanation will be given using Figure 1. First, a parking lot user (driver of a vehicle) parks their vehicle in an available parking space in the parking lot (a). Next, dedicated cameras installed at the entrance to the parking lot or near the front or rear of the parking space capture the vehicle number. The captured image is digitized using OCR processing and sent to a data center together with time data in a time stamp (b). When the parking lot user enters their vehicle number into the prepayment machine, the data center performs a matching operation, calculates the parking fee based on the time data, and prompts the user to pay (c).

For example, Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose technology for improving the accuracy of identifying users in a device that identifies parking lot users (vehicle drivers) in order to address the problem of not being able to charge if license plate recognition fails.

JP 2018-163536 A Patent No. 5846565 JP 2018-129047 A

When using a parking lot that takes a picture of the license plate with a camera installed at the entrance and uses the captured image and the time of capture to calculate the parking fee and manage the payment procedure, a problem like the one shown in Figure 2 arises.
Let us assume that you leave the parking lot and go to do something in the vicinity of the parking lot. For example, if you are shopping at a shopping center adjacent to the parking lot, you may not know when you entered the parking lot because you do not have a parking ticket (Figure 2 (a) and (b)).

In addition, as a service to parking lot users, commercial facilities near the parking lot may offer free parking or discounts to parking users who spend a certain amount or more. In such cases, parking lot users who receive such a service will want to know what time and minutes parking will be free (Figure 2(b)).

In addition, when it comes to paying, if you are unable to confirm the time of entry, you may be unsure whether the parking fee you are being charged is appropriate (Figure 2 (c)).

The technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 all contribute to the convenience of parking lot managers and operators, but are unable to alleviate the concerns of parking lot users as described above.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a technology that allows a driver to check the time when parking began even when the driver is away from a parking lot that does not issue parking tickets.

To solve the above-mentioned problems, we provide a first invention relating to a mobile communication terminal, a second invention relating to an application program that runs on the mobile communication terminal relating to the first invention, and a third invention relating to a parking lot management system.

(First Invention)
A first invention relates to a mobile communication terminal for learning a parking start time by communicating with a data center that manages various data in a parking lot.
A barcode reading means capable of optically reading a barcode;
a vehicle number input means for inputting a vehicle number associated with a parked vehicle;
a user request data transmission means for creating request data for requesting notification of the time when parking was started based on the barcode data read by the barcode reading means and the vehicle number inputted via the vehicle number inputting means, and transmitting the request data to the data center;
a corresponding data receiving means for receiving the corresponding data when the data center that has received the request data extracts and transmits the corresponding data corresponding to the request data;
a corresponding data output means for outputting the vehicle number and the parking start time in the received corresponding data;
(See Figures 3, 4 and 7.)

(Terminology)
"Mobile communication terminals" refer to users of parking lots. Most of these are so-called smartphones, but even 3G generation shell-type mobile phones that can read barcodes are included. Tablet terminals are also included.
The term "barcode" mainly refers to a two-dimensional barcode or a QR code (registered trademark), but does not exclude a one-dimensional barcode. This barcode is displayed at a location where a parking lot user moves or stays, such as a commercial facility adjacent to the parking lot.

A "vehicle number" is a four-digit number on a license plate. It may include the name of the local transport bureau, the vehicle type classification number, and even the usage code "A-W".
The "vehicle number input means" refers to a numeric keypad or a keyboard including a numeric keypad, or a numeric keypad with virtual buttons using a touch panel of a liquid crystal screen.
The "relevant data output means" refers primarily to means that appeal to the visual sense of the user of the payment machine, such as a liquid crystal panel, but also includes auxiliary means such as a speaker.

(Action)
The barcode reading means optically reads the barcode based on the operation of the parking lot user, and the vehicle number input means inputs the vehicle number of the parked vehicle based on the operation of the parking lot user.
Using the barcode data read by the barcode reading means and the vehicle number input via the vehicle number input means, the user request data transmission means creates request data requesting to be notified of the time parking began, and transmits it to the data center. When the data center receives the request data and extracts and transmits relevant data that corresponds to the request data, the relevant data receiving means receives the relevant data. The vehicle number and parking start time in the received relevant data are then output by the relevant data output means. The parking lot user can check the parking start time without paying at the payment machine.

(Variation 1 of the first invention)
The first aspect of the invention may be formed as follows.
That is, the device includes a location data acquisition means for acquiring location data of the mobile communication terminal,
The user request data transmitting means includes the location data acquired by the location data acquiring means in the request data (see FIG. 8).

(Terminology)
The "location data" is data acquired using a GPS. That is, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention has a built-in IC chip capable of using a GPS as a "location data acquisition means."

(Action)
The location data of the mobile communication terminal is acquired by the location data acquisition means, and the location data is included in the request data and transmitted by the user request data transmission means. By using the location data, it is possible to respond to inappropriate request data, for example.

(Variation 2 of the first invention)
The first aspect of the invention may be formed as follows.
That is, when there are a plurality of pieces of relevant data received by the relevant data receiving means,
The corresponding data output means outputs license plate data in the plurality of received corresponding data, and allows one of the plurality of license plate data to be selected;
The relevant data output means outputs the vehicle number and parking start time related to one selected piece of license plate data (see FIG. 6).

(Action)
When a plurality of vehicles with the same four-digit number used as the vehicle number are parked in a parking lot under management, there will be a plurality of "corresponding data", and the corresponding data receiving means receives the plurality of corresponding data.
The relevant data output means outputs the license plate data in the plurality of received relevant data, and allows the owner of the mobile communication terminal (parking lot user) to select one of the plurality of license plate data.
The vehicle number and parking start time related to the selected relevant data are output by the relevant data output means.

(Variation 3 of the first invention)
The first aspect of the invention may be formed as follows.
That is, the barcode reading means also reads barcodes related to payments,
a payment means for processing a payment based on the read barcode and creating payment amount data based on the processing;
The user request data transmitting means may also transmit the payment amount data to the data center (see FIG. 9).

(Terminology)
A "barcode related to payment" is a barcode that can be processed by the electronic payment function of a mobile communication terminal when the terminal is equipped with such a function. The electronic payment function performs the procedure of reading a two-dimensional barcode that identifies the product or paid service to be paid for and indicates its price, and then expressing the intention to pay.

(Action)
The barcode reading means also reads the barcode relating to the payment, processes the payment based on the read barcode, and the payment means creates payment amount data based on the processing. The user request data transmission means also transmits the payment amount data to the data center.

(Second Invention)
The second invention relates to an application program installed and used on a mobile communication terminal according to the first invention, which is a computer program that controls the mobile communication terminal to know the parking start time by communicating with a data center that manages various data in the parking lot.
That is, a barcode reading procedure capable of optically reading a barcode;
a vehicle number input step that allows input of a vehicle number associated with the parked vehicle;
a user request data transmission step of creating request data for requesting to be notified of the time when parking was started based on the barcode data read in the barcode reading step and the vehicle number inputted via the vehicle number input means, and transmitting the request data to the data center;
a corresponding data receiving step of receiving the corresponding data when the data center that has received the request data extracts and transmits the corresponding data corresponding to the request data;
a corresponding data output step of outputting the vehicle number and the parking start time in the received corresponding data;
The above is a computer program that causes a mobile communication terminal to execute the above (see Figs. 4, 5 and 7).

(Variation 1 of the second invention)
A second aspect of the present invention includes a location data acquisition step of acquiring location data of the mobile communication terminal,
In the user request data transmission procedure, the location data acquired in the location data acquisition procedure may be included in the request data (see FIG. 8).

(Variation 2 of the second invention)
The second invention may be formed as follows.
That is, when there are a plurality of pieces of relevant data received by the relevant data receiving means,
A multiple license plate output step of outputting license plate data for the multiple corresponding data received,
In the relevant data output procedure, the vehicle number and parking start time associated with one license plate data selected from the multiple license plate data output in the multiple license plate output procedure may be output (see FIG. 6).

(Variation 3 of the second invention)
The second invention may be formed as follows.
a payment barcode reading procedure that also reads the payment-related barcode;
a payment procedure for processing a payment based on the barcode read in the payment barcode reading procedure and creating payment amount data based on the processing,
The user request data transmission procedure may also transmit the payment amount data to the data center (see FIG. 9).

(Variation 4 of the second invention)
The second invention may be formed as follows.
That is, a receipt image reading procedure for reading an image of a receipt relating to a payment;
an OCR processing step for identifying the payment amount from the image read in the receipt image reading step,
The user request data transmission procedure may also transmit the payment amount to the data center (see FIG. 10).

(Variation 5 of the second invention)
The second invention may be formed as follows.
That is, the data output procedure includes an alarm setting procedure for activating an alarm at a predetermined time,
The portable communication terminal is also caused to execute an alarm output procedure for outputting an alarm when the time set in the alarm setting procedure arrives (see FIG. 11).

The computer program according to the second aspect of the present invention can also be transmitted from a computer storing the computer program to other terminal means via a communication line.
The computer program according to the second aspect of the invention can also be provided by storing it in a recording medium. Here, a "recording medium" is a medium capable of carrying a program that does not occupy space by itself. Examples of such a medium include a flexible disk, a hard disk, a CD-R, a CD-RW, an MO (magneto-optical disk), a DVD-R, a DVD-RW, and a flash memory.

(Third Invention)
The third invention relates to a parking lot management system which is a sub-combination with the mobile communication terminal according to the first invention.
The parking lot management system comprises an adjustment machine installed in the parking lot to allow parking lot users to settle parking fees, and a data center that communicates with the adjustment machine and manages the data.
The payment machine includes a vehicle number reading means for reading the vehicle number of a vehicle to be parked as number data;
A time stamp is added to the number data to create the entry data.
and a warehouse data transmission means for transmitting the warehouse data to the data center.
The data center has a warehouse data receiving means for receiving the warehouse data;
A parking management database that manages the received parking data for each parking lot;
a user request data receiving means for receiving user request data including data for identifying the parking lot and data for identifying the vehicle from a communication terminal associated with a parking lot user;
and a corresponding data transmission means for extracting parking data based on the user request data from the parking management database and transmitting the extracted data, including the vehicle number and the parking start time, to the communication terminal (see FIG. 4).

(Action)
The vehicle number reading means reads the vehicle number of the vehicle to be parked as number data. A time stamp is added to the number data to create parking data. The parking data sending means then sends the parking data to the data center. At the data center, the parking data receiving means receives the parking data, and the received parking data is stored and managed in the parking management database for each parking lot.
A parking lot user wants to know when his/her vehicle was parked, so the two-dimensional barcode identifying the parking lot is read by the mobile communication terminal associated with the parking lot user. Then, user request data including data identifying the vehicle (vehicle number) is received by user request data receiving means. Then, parking data based on the user request data is extracted from the parking management database. The extracted relevant data includes the vehicle number and parking start time, and is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal by relevant data transmitting means. The parking lot user can know when his/her vehicle was parked.

(Variation 1 of the third invention)
The third invention is more preferably formed as follows.
That is, the user request data receiving means also receives location data of the communication terminal related to the parking lot user,
The data transmitting means does not transmit the data when the position data is outside a predetermined range (see FIG. 8).

(Action)
The user request data receiving means also receives location data of the communication terminal related to the parking lot user, and the data transmitting means does not transmit the relevant data if the location data is outside a specified range, thereby avoiding responding to inappropriate request data.

(Variation 2 of the third invention)
The third invention can also be formed as follows.
That is, the user request data receiving means also receives payment amount data obtained by the communication terminal related to the parking lot user,
A parking fee calculation means for calculating a parking fee using the payment amount data,
The relevant data transmission means includes the parking fee calculated by the parking fee calculation means in the relevant data (see Figs. 9 and 10).

(Action)
The user request data receiving means also receives payment amount data obtained by the communication terminal related to the parking lot user, and the parking fee calculation means calculates the parking fee using the payment amount data. The parking fee calculated by the parking fee calculation means is then included in the relevant data and transmitted by the relevant data transmission means.
Parking lot users can also find out the current parking fee, as well as when their vehicle was parked.

(Variation 2 of the third invention)
The third invention can also be formed as follows.
That is, the relevant data transmission means may include data on paid products or paid services that can substantially reduce the parking fee calculated by the parking fee calculation means (see FIG. 12).

The "substantially reduced" in the "paid product or service that can substantially reduce parking fees" refers not only to reducing parking fees by Y yen, but also to extending the current fee or the time for free parking, or granting so-called points that have economic value.

According to the first invention, it is possible to provide a mobile communication terminal that enables a user to check the time when parking began even when the user is away from a parking lot that does not issue parking tickets.
According to the second invention, it is possible to provide an application program for a mobile communication terminal that enables a user to check the time when parking began even when the user is away from a parking lot that does not issue parking tickets.
According to the third invention, it is possible to provide a mobile communication terminal that enables a user to check the time when parking began even when the user is away from a parking lot that does not issue parking tickets.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the procedure for entering a parking lot that does not issue parking tickets. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a drawback of the prior art. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a transition of a terminal screen according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a transition of a terminal screen according to a second embodiment; FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram showing a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a sixth embodiment. 13 conceptually illustrates a timer function according to the seventh embodiment. 23 illustrates an example of a screen displaying recommended products according to the eighth embodiment. This is a conceptual diagram of an automatic correction algorithm for inputting a vehicle number.

The present invention will be described below based on the drawings and embodiments. The drawings used individually are Fig. 1 to Fig. 13. In Figs. 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, solid arrows indicate serial communication, and two-dot dashed arrows indicate wireless communication. Note that Figs. 1 and 2 have already been used to explain the background art and its problems, but they will also be used in explaining the present invention. Note that the design of the smartphone screen is merely an example, and design changes are naturally possible.

(Figure 1)
As a premise of an embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that a parking lot user enters a parking lot that does not issue a physical parking ticket when entering the parking lot (FIG. 1(a)). Next, a dedicated camera installed at the entrance to the parking lot or near the front or rear of the parking space captures the vehicle number. The captured image is digitized by OCR processing and transmitted to a data center together with time data in a time stamp (b). When the parking lot user enters his/her vehicle number into a prepayment machine, the data center performs a verification process, calculates the parking fee based on the time data, and prompts the user to pay (c).

(Figure 2)
As a premise of the embodiment of the present invention, a parking lot user leaves the parking lot after entering the parking lot. Fig. 2 (a) shows that the user has moved to a shopping center adjacent to the parking lot. In this state, if the parking lot user does not remember when he/she entered the parking lot, he/she will become unsure and anxious (b). Furthermore, if the user does not remember the time of entry at the time of payment, he/she will become unsure whether the payment is appropriate (c).

In the following embodiment, in order to alleviate the concerns of parking lot users as shown in Figures 2(b) and (c), a large number of two-dimensional barcodes are affixed within areas where parking lot users are expected to visit using the parking lot.
The two-dimensional barcode becomes data used to identify a single parking lot in a data center that manages multiple parking lots.

(Figure 3)
FIG. 3 shows an overview of the first embodiment.
In Fig. 3(a), a parking lot user who has forgotten when he or she entered the parking lot finds a two-dimensional barcode displayed in a shopping center and reads it with the barcode reading function of his or her smartphone (when a dedicated application is started, the barcode reading function is started first, and the parking lot user is instructed to read the two-dimensional barcode).

In Figure 3(b), the user is instructed (by a dedicated application) to enter the four-digit vehicle number of the parked car. The user enters the four-digit number using an input means such as a numeric keypad and presses a send button (or a button for searching the entry time, for example). The data center identifies the parking lot using the two-dimensional barcode data, reads data such as the entry time from the vehicle number, and sends it back.

As shown in Figure 3(c), the reply from the data center is displayed on the smartphone screen. The entry time is also displayed, so the parking lot user can know when their vehicle was entered.

(Figure 4)
FIG. 4 shows what information is exchanged between facilities such as a parking lot prepayment machine, a data center, and smartphones of parking lot users for the first embodiment outlined in FIG. 3.

First, the vehicle license plate number of a vehicle that has entered the parking lot is photographed by a vehicle license plate reading means (camera). The photographed image data is then digitized by an OCR processing means. Meanwhile, the time the image was taken by the camera is linked to the entry time data by a time stamp. The digitized vehicle license plate number is then sent to a data center as entry data, together with data identifying the entry time and the parking lot.

In the data center, the parking data receiving means receives the parking data and stores it in the parking management database. The parking management database stores data for each parking lot it manages (Parking Lot A, Parking Lot B, and Parking Lot C in Figure 4).

A different two-dimensional barcode is attached to each parking lot. When a parking lot user wants to know the time when his/her vehicle entered the parking lot, the user reads the two-dimensional barcode with the barcode reading means of the smartphone.
On the other hand, the vehicle number is inputted by the vehicle number inputting means, and the user request data transmitting means transmits the request data including the parking lot identification data and the vehicle number to the data center.

The requested data is received by the user requested data receiving means of the data center. Then, the corresponding data extracting means extracts the parking data that matches the requested data from the parking management database. The corresponding data transmitting means transmits the extracted corresponding data to the smartphone.
The smartphone receives the relevant data through the relevant data receiving means and outputs the data through the relevant data output means.

(Figure 5)
The second embodiment is shown in a flow chart in Fig. 5. The difference from the first embodiment is that, for a vehicle number in the request data, multiple pieces of relevant data are present in the data center.

The parking lot user finds the two-dimensional barcode and launches a dedicated application (entry time confirmation application) on his/her smartphone. Then, the barcode reader is launched (S1). The parking lot user operates the smartphone to read the two-dimensional barcode (S2).
Next, a screen for inputting the vehicle number is displayed along with an instruction to input the vehicle number (S3). Following the instruction, the parking lot user operates the smartphone to input the four-digit vehicle number. After input is complete, the request data is created by combining it with the parking lot identification data specified by the two-dimensional barcode, and the request data is transmitted to the data center (S4).

After that, the relevant data is transmitted from the data center, and is received (S5). Even if multiple relevant data are found at the data center, the multiple relevant data are returned to the smartphone. If multiple relevant data exist, the entirety of the multiple vehicle plates is displayed on the smartphone screen (S6, S7).
The parking lot user selects his/her own vehicle plate from the multiple vehicle plates displayed (S8). When the user has selected from multiple vehicle plates or when no selection is required, the vehicle plate and the entry time are output to the smartphone screen (S9).

Although this is not shown in the flowchart, if the relevant data does not exist, it is assumed that this is due to an input error by the parking lot user, so a screen along the lines of "Specified vehicle number not found. Please re-enter the vehicle number" is displayed on the smartphone to prompt the user to re-enter the number.

(Figure 6)
Fig. 6(a) illustrates S6, S7, and S8 in Fig. 5. Fig. 6(c) and (d) illustrate S9 in Fig. 5.
6B shows an example in which the entry times of two vehicles are displayed, and the parking lot user can be omitted from making a selection.

(Figure 7)
FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment.
The difference from the first embodiment is as follows: When the barcode reading means reads a barcode, it is sent to the data center, and when the vehicle number is input by the vehicle number input means, it is sent. In other words, the "request data" is not created on the smartphone side, but is prepared as request data at the data center and the relevant data is returned.

Although the number of communications between the smartphone and the data center increases, this embodiment still meets the desire of parking lot users to know the time of entry. Parking lot users can find out the time of entry without having to download a dedicated application.

(Figure 8)
FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment.
The difference from the first embodiment is that it requires that location data is acquired on the smartphone, and does not respond to requests from parking lot users who are not within a specified range of the parking lot to know the entry time. The purpose of not responding to unrelated or unnecessary requests is to improve security.

Unless the parking lot user has "acquiring location data" turned on in the privacy settings of his/her smartphone, the application shown in FIG. 3 may not be able to be started.
Even if "Acquire location data" is turned on, there may be cases where the acquired location data has not been updated for some reason. In order to deal with such cases, a message will be displayed on the smartphone screen stating that "the request data should be sent again after reacquiring (updating) the location data."

According to this embodiment, for example, if the vehicle is removed from the parking lot or leaves the parking lot a certain distance or more, the system will not be able to check the entry time.

(Figure 9)
FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment.
The difference from the first embodiment is that when a parking fee discount service is applied to parking lot users who spend money at commercial facilities or other facilities affiliated with the parking lot, the details of that service are reflected in the entry time confirmation app.

The fifth embodiment is based on the premise that a barcode payment function using a smartphone is provided.
At a shopping register in a shopping center, the two-dimensional barcode of the purchase is read by the barcode reading means. Then, when the payment is made by the payment means, the user request data transmission means transmits the payment amount data to the data center.
At the data center, a parking fee calculation means calculates the parking fee at that time based on the payment amount data, and returns the parking fee together with the corresponding data to the smartphone.

As the smartphone's data output means, the LCD screen will display not only the time of entry but also the current parking fee. In the illustrated example, it is assumed that a purchase of 1,500 yen (excluding tax) has been made, so a service is being implemented that provides free parking for one hour from the time of entry, and the illustration shows that parking is free up to a specified time.

(Figure 10)
FIG. 10 shows a sixth embodiment.
The difference from the fifth embodiment is that the parking fee discount service can be provided even if the device is not equipped with a barcode payment function via smartphone.

The parking lot user photographs their shopping receipt with a camera. The OCR processing means then extracts the payment amount from the image data of the receipt and adds it to the user request data as payment amount data. At the data center, the parking fee calculation means uses the payment amount data to calculate the parking fee and returns it together with the corresponding data.

According to the fifth and sixth embodiments, it is possible to check the entry time while also taking into account the services linked to parking lots at commercial facilities, improving convenience for parking lot users.

(Figure 11)
FIG. 11 conceptually illustrates the seventh embodiment.
In the sixth embodiment, the time until which parking is free is shown, but in this embodiment, a timer function can be set to the time until which parking is free.

When the parking lot user touches the button at the bottom of the smartphone screen that says "Set alarm until free time," a screen appears that allows the user to set how many minutes before the alarm will go off. The parking lot user sets the desired time. In this illustration, the user has set "15 minutes before." This means that the alarm on their smartphone will go off 15 minutes before the free time ends at 14:54, or in other words, at 14:39.

In FIG. 11, timer setting data is sent to a data center, the timer data receiving means in the data center receives the timer setting data, and the alarm data sending means outputs an alarm using a clock. This is because the intention is to collect data such as how parking lot users use the timer settings. In other words, the timer setting data may not be sent to the data center, and the process may be completed using the clock function or alarm output means in the smartphone.

(Figure 12)
FIG. 12 shows the time up to which parking fees are free in the sixth embodiment, but in this embodiment, data regarding additional products that are recommended for purchase in order to extend the time for which parking fees are free is also transmitted to the smartphone of the parking lot user.

The parking fee calculation means in the data center references data in the shopping center's product database and extracts products that qualify for free parking and data related to those products (such as the name and location of the store selling the products).Then, the corresponding data transmission means transmits the recommended product data to the smartphone of the parking lot user.

In addition, data processing can be made more efficient if the shopping center's product database is prepared in advance as a "recommended product database" at the data center.

A message will be displayed at the bottom of the smartphone screen informing users that they will receive an additional 30 minutes of free parking if they spend 500 yen or more (excluding tax). When the parking lot user touches a button that reads, "See recommended items for a 500 yen purchase," items suitable for purchases of 500 yen or more are displayed on the smartphone screen.

(Figure 13)
FIG. 13 conceptually shows an algorithm for automatically adjusting the vehicle number when the vehicle number is input.
As shown in Fig. 13(a), assume that the vehicle number is "Adachi 500 ho ・5-60". Some parking lot users input "0" instead of "・" as shown in Fig. 13(b), and some parking lot users input only three digits, "5, 6, 0", as shown in Fig. 13(c).

Therefore, in a dedicated application pre-installed on a smartphone, if the first digit is "0", it is corrected to "." as shown in Figure 13 (d).
The same process is carried out even when the vehicle number has only two digits or only one digit.

The present invention can be used in the parking lot management industry, the manufacturing industry of equipment necessary for parking lot management, the manufacturing industry of mobile communication terminals, and the software service industry that creates application programs used in mobile communication terminals.

Claims (11)

A mobile communication terminal for informing a parking start time while parking in a postpaid parking lot by communicating with a data center that manages various data in the parking lot,
a barcode reading means capable of optically reading a barcode indicating data for identifying a parking lot;
a vehicle number input means for inputting a vehicle number associated with a parked vehicle;
a user request data transmission means for creating request data for requesting notification of the time when parking was started based on the barcode data read by the barcode reading means and the vehicle number inputted via the vehicle number inputting means, and transmitting the request data to the data center;
a corresponding data receiving means for receiving the corresponding data when the data center that has received the request data extracts and transmits the corresponding data corresponding to the request data;
a corresponding data output means for outputting the vehicle number and the parking start time in the received corresponding data;
A location data acquisition means for acquiring location data of the mobile communication terminal;
Equipped with
The mobile communication terminal, wherein the user request data transmitting means includes the location data acquired by the location data acquiring means in the request data. In the case where there are a plurality of pieces of relevant data received by the relevant data receiving means,
The corresponding data output means outputs license plate data in the plurality of received corresponding data, and allows one of the plurality of license plate data to be selected;
2. The portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said corresponding data output means outputs the vehicle number and parking start time related to one selected piece of license plate data. The barcode reading means also reads barcodes related to payments,
a payment means for processing a payment based on the read barcode and creating payment amount data based on the processing;
3. The portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said user request data transmitting means also transmits said payment amount data to said data center. An application program for controlling a mobile communication terminal for informing a parking start time while parking in a postpaid parking lot by communicating with a data center that manages various data in the parking lot,
a barcode reading step capable of optically reading a barcode indicating data identifying the parking lot;
a vehicle number input step that allows input of a vehicle number associated with the parked vehicle;
a user request data transmission step of creating request data for requesting to be notified of the time when parking was started based on the barcode data read in the barcode reading step and the vehicle number inputted via the vehicle number input means, and transmitting the request data to the data center;
a corresponding data receiving step of receiving the corresponding data when the data center that has received the request data extracts and transmits the corresponding data corresponding to the request data;
a corresponding data output step of outputting the vehicle number and the parking start time in the received corresponding data;
A location data acquisition procedure for acquiring location data of the mobile communication terminal;
The mobile communication terminal is caused to execute the following:
A computer program product, wherein in the user request data transmission step, the request data includes the location data acquired in the location data acquisition step. In the case where the relevant data receiving means receives a plurality of relevant data, the process includes a multiple number plate output process for outputting number plate data in the plurality of received relevant data,
5. The computer program according to claim 4, wherein in the corresponding data output step, the vehicle number and parking start time related to one license plate data selected from the multiple license plate data output in the multiple license plate output step are output. a payment barcode reading step for reading a barcode relating to the payment;
a payment procedure for processing a payment based on the barcode read in the payment barcode reading procedure and creating payment amount data based on the processing,
6. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein said user request data transmission step also transmits said payment amount data to said data center. a receipt image reading step for reading an image of a receipt relating to a payment;
an OCR processing step for identifying the payment amount from the image read in the receipt image reading step,
7. The computer program product according to claim 4, wherein said user request data transmission step also transmits said payment amount to said data center. The data output procedure includes an alarm setting procedure for activating an alarm at a predetermined time,
8. The computer program according to claim 4, further comprising an alarm output step of outputting an alarm at a time set in said alarm setting step. A payment machine is installed in the parking lot to allow a parking lot user to pay a parking fee;
a data center that communicates with the fare adjustment machine and manages the data;
A parking management system that allows a parking lot user to know a parking start time while parking in a postpaid parking lot , comprising:
The payment machine includes a vehicle number reading means for reading the vehicle number of a vehicle to be parked as number data;
A time stamp is added to the number data to create the entry data.
A data transmission means for transmitting the data to the data center,
The data center has a warehouse data receiving means for receiving the warehouse data;
A parking management database that manages the received parking data for each parking lot;
a user request data receiving means for receiving user request data including a barcode indicating data for identifying the parking lot and data for identifying the vehicle from a mobile communication terminal associated with a parking lot user;
a corresponding data transmission means for extracting parking data based on the user request data from the parking management database and transmitting the extracted parking data including a vehicle number and a parking start time to the mobile communication terminal;
Equipped with
The user request data receiving means also receives location data of the communication terminal related to the parking lot user,
A parking lot management system in which the data transmission means does not transmit the data when the location data is outside a predetermined range. The user request data receiving means also receives payment amount data obtained by the communication terminal related to the parking lot user,
A parking fee calculation means for calculating a parking fee using the payment amount data,
10. The parking lot management system according to claim 9, wherein the relevant data transmission means includes the parking fee calculated by the parking fee calculation means in the relevant data. A parking management system as described in either claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the relevant data transmission means includes data regarding paid products or paid services that can substantially reduce the parking fee calculated by the parking fee calculation means.

Images