US Patent 8395532 Data collection system for electronic parking meters

There is disclosed a single space parking meter that includes a low powered radio for communicating with a mobile access point. There is also provided a parking meter management system comprising a single space parking meter and a mobile access point. The mobile access point comprises a coin collection cart, and a mobile data collection terminal including a wireless radio for communicating with the wireless radio of the single space parking meter. Also disclosed is a method of managing single space parking meters comprising the steps of collecting and storing meter information in a single space parking meter, receiving at a main electronics board of the single space parking meter a transmit signal, and transmitting the meter information to a mobile access point using a low powered radio of the single space parking meter.