US Patent 7135991 Automated parking director systems and related methods

Systems and methods of directing parking in a parking lot include: (a) detecting the presence and/or absence of a vehicle in respective parking spaces in a parking lot having a plurality of parking spaces to monitor the availability of parking spaces; (b) identifying the space location of parking spaces that are available for use based on the detecting and monitoring steps; (c) automatically providing the location of the identified available spaces to prospective users in substantially real-time; and (d) electronically correlating a parking space to a user to allow a parking space to be identified if a patron forgets where he/she parked.