Ralph H Carmen

US Patent:

53827805, Jan 17, 1995

Filed:

Oct 1, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/130587

Inventors:

Ralph H. Carmen - Merritt Island FL

Assignee:

Duncan Industries Parking Control Systems Corp. - Harrison AR

International Classification:

G07B 1502

US Classification:

235384

Abstract:

A portable time metering device particularly adaptable as an in-car parking meter for parking in a plurality of zones comprises a plurality of bank registers, each bank register having stored therein information representing a monetary value and each of the plurality of zones corresponding to one bank register. The device selectively determines whether a sufficient monetary value is stored in a corresponding bank register of a selected zone to allow parking in the zone. The device further determines a total amount of time parked in a selected zone if parking is allowed. The total amount of time is then used to deduct an amount from the monetary value of the corresponding bank. The device also includes a communication component for transmitting and receiving data.

US Patent:

58413693, Nov 24, 1998

Filed:

Apr 18, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/844159

Inventors:

Joseph H. Sutton - Harrison AR
Ralph H. Carmen - Merritt Island FL
Gorm Tuxen - Antioch TN

Assignee:

Duncan Industries Parking Control Systems - Harrison AR

International Classification:

B60Q 148

US Classification:

349322

Abstract:

A parking meter construction having an upper and lower housing with payment means for receiving coins or a payment card. A microprocessor and other electronic components are included on a PC board mounted in the upper housing. A modular jack is connected to terminals of the microprocessor for communication therewith, and the jack is supported in the meter for connection with any of a large variety of peripheral devices which can then utilize the microprocessor in their operation. A plurality of peripheral devices may be linked together and all kept in communication with the microprocessor.

US Patent:

58050833, Sep 8, 1998

Filed:

Apr 28, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/848559

Inventors:

Joseph H. Sutton - Harrison AR
J. Michael Rodgers - Harrison AR
Ralph H. Carmen - Merritt Island FL

Assignee:

Duncan Industries Parking Control Systems - Harrison AR

International Classification:

B60Q 148

US Classification:

3409322

Abstract:

An electronic parking meter operating system comprising a microprocessor mounted within a meter housing, a semiconductor disc memory having at least 8K memory bytes, and a plurality of programs stored in the disc memory. A meter event such as the deposit of a coin will cause interrogation of an auxiliary program module map to determine if one of the plurality of programs should be used to substitute for or augment a program which is provided in the microprocessor to normally carry out meter functions. If substitution or augmentation is called for, an address table in the memory disc is used to locate the selected program, to load it into the microprocessor, and to execute the program.

US Patent:

58066519, Sep 15, 1998

Filed:

Dec 19, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/770180

Inventors:

Ralph H. Carmen - Merritt Island FL
Joseph H. Sutton - Harrison AK
Daniel P. Kasuba - Harrison AK

Assignee:

Duncan Industries Parking Control Systems Corp. - Harrison AK

International Classification:

G07D 508

US Classification:

194319

Abstract:

A coin-sensing system wherein at least two sensor coils are electrically connected in series and physically arranged so that a coin deposited into the apparatus may pass sequentially through each sensor coil and thereby change the impedance of the coil. A sensor oscillator circuit incorporates the sensor coils to output an oscillating sensor signal at a frequency dependent on the impedance of the sensor coils. Counters measure the frequency of the sensor signal to obtain a frequency signature for the deposited coin which can be compared with frequency signatures of valid coins. The oscillator circuit may produce a lower frequency oscillating sensor signal or a higher frequency oscillating sensor signal and electronic switches are included in the circuit for switching from one of the frequency levels to the other after the deposited coin encounters a first sensor coil and before the deposited coin encounters a second sensor coil.