US 11,984,024 B2
Low-power vehicle detection
Alexander Schwarz, San Diego, CA (US); and Stephen John Hunter, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to IPS GROUP INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by IPS Group Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on May 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/312,307.
Application 18/312,307 is a continuation of application No. 17/812,206, filed on Jul. 13, 2022, granted, now 11,688,277.
Application 17/812,206 is a continuation of application No. 16/913,246, filed on Jun. 26, 2020, granted, now 11,423,776, issued on Aug. 23, 2022.
Application 16/913,246 is a continuation of application No. 16/383,203, filed on Apr. 12, 2019, granted, now 10,741,064, issued on Aug. 11, 2020.
Application 16/383,203 is a continuation of application No. 15/633,290, filed on Jun. 26, 2017, granted, now 10,297,150, issued on May 21, 2019.
Application 15/633,290 is a continuation of application No. 14/811,641, filed on Jul. 28, 2015, granted, now 9,728,085, issued on Aug. 8, 2017.
Application 14/811,641 is a continuation of application No. 13/558,242, filed on Jul. 25, 2012, granted, now 9,127,964, issued on Sep. 8, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/511,484, filed on Jul. 25, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2023/0274635 A1, Aug. 31, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G08G 1/017 (2006.01); G01D 4/00 (2006.01); G07F 17/24 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 1/017 (2013.01) [G01D 4/002 (2013.01); G07F 17/246 (2013.01); G01D 4/004 (2013.01); Y02B 70/34 (2013.01); Y04S 20/30 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A low-power sensor apparatus for monitoring a parking space, the sensor apparatus comprising: a first sensor, a second sensor, a wireless transceiver, and a control module comprising one or more processors and coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor, and the wireless transceiver;
wherein the second sensor has a more focused detection area than the first sensor and draws more power during operation than the first sensor,
wherein the first sensor detects a change in a presence of an object in a parking space based on a change in a sensor measurement,
wherein the one or more processors of the control module determine a payment status of the parking space, identify a potential parking violation based at least on the change in the sensor measurement and the payment status, and activate the second sensor in response to the potential parking violation,
wherein the second sensor captures sensor data pertaining to the presence of the object in the parking space, and
wherein the one or more processors of the control module transmit, by the wireless transceiver, the sensor data to one or more of: a parking meter associated with the parking space, a remote data manager, and a handheld device.