Patent attributes
A programmable parking meter and integrated paging transmitter is provided to warn the parking patron with a pre-violation notice that the parking time is about to expire. The programmable parking meter and integrated paging transmitter includes a rechargeable battery, a flat display that provides programming options and status of parking information to the parking patron, coin slots for use as a conventional coin operated parking meter, an automated teller machine (ATM) style keyboard to activate and program the paging apparatus, and a paging transmitter to interface with existing digital relays and infrastructure for personal communications devices. The invention also includes a method for notifying a remote parking patron that a programmable parking meter and integrated paging transmitter is scheduled to expire.