The invention relates to a system for operating a parking facility with a plurality of parking places, and to a single-track vehicule holder.

A single-track vehicule holder according to the invention comprises, in operation as intended, at least one marking element that is configured to mark a parking place. After installation, the marking element indicates and, at least partially, delimits the area for placing a vehicule.

Optionally, the single-track vehicule holder consists of two or more unconnected parts, which for operation as intended must be installed separately.

Some implementations of the invention apply to bicycles and the like. Motorised bicycles are included too, such as electric bikes. Others apply to scooters or motorcycles, others to kick scooters and suchlike vehicules, or combinations thereof.

Known bicycle parking racks allow little parking control, even those inside a parking house with access control. Especially in the heart of large cities or near industry sites, they tend to be clogged and unavailable. They lack means to identify misplaced or abandoned vehicules, and it is difficult to remove those.

The invention aims at overcoming disadvantages of the prior art. It teaches single-track vehicule holders that allow using parking places in a controlled fashion.

The single-track vehicule holder according to the invention comprises at least one moveable barrier that is configured substantially to close and substantially to open an entry into the parking place for a single-track vehicule, and at least one drive that is configured to open, to close, to lock or to unlock the barrier. Preferably, the barrier comprises at least one hinge and a substantially straight body that is carried by the hinge. Advantageously, the hinge is configured to rotate the body along with the single- track vehicule if that is entering the parking place, advantageously against the force of a spring, which the barrier also comprises. Preferably, the single-track vehicule holder also comprises a guiding element and the hinge is located at the side of the parking place that is nearest to where the guiding element is configured to guide the single-track vehicule. Preferably, the substantially straight body is curved at the lose end in this direction of rotation, so as to prevent the barrier getting stuck inbetween vehicule parts when the single-track vehicule is being withdrawn from the parking place.

Remotely controlled garage doors are well known examples of barriers with a drive.

Locking or unlocking a barrier typically is done by closing, respectively opening the moving part of a mechanical lock, much like known remote door locks, in which the drive comprises a shape alloy material and a electrical heater. Alternatively, the drive may lock the barrier simply by exercising abundant force to keep it closed against typically occurring external forces, and unlock it by letting go. In some versions of the invention, the drive also opens the barrier. In others, the driver of the vehicule opens it by himself.

Certain such barriers are configured substantially to close an exit, in order to prevent theft. However, according to the invention, the barrier is configured substantially to close and substantially to open an entry into a specific parking place. Known examples for multi-track vehicules are metal contraptions at ground level in car parking places that can be raised to block entry, some with a drive and remote control.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the barrier is configured

substantially to close an entry into the parking place by extending substantially across the parking place, preferably substantially horizontally, preferably substantially transverse to the length of the parking place and more preferably substantially over the width thereof. The barrier can close an entry substantially, therefore possibly not perfectly. Gaps may remain, just as long as the barrier cannot be overcome without burden, for example by lifting a heavy vehicule high in the air, by pulling aside brake cables or by using tools to modify it.

For bicycles, extending substantially across the parking place equals extending across the parking place along the border thereof or within, such that at either side any distance of the barrier to a marking element is less than 8 centimetres. It turns out that a barrier leaving a gap at any height of no more than 8 centimetres hinders bicycles of virtually all shapes and sizes. Advantageously, such gap leaves the option of easy removal of a rogue bicycle outside the parking place that has been chained to the barrier itself, without even having to open it.

Advantageously, the marking element comprises a fastening element that is configured to mark a parking place by fastening a single-track vehicule there. Examples of the many known bicycle fastening elements are bars that leave a gap for the front wheel to be wedged in, or hooks for hanging the bicycle on its handle bar. Other marking elements comprise a fastening element that leaves a slot for receiving a pedal axle of the bicyle. The slot is sloped in a way that the pedal, in order for the bicycle to back out of the parking place, must rotate foreward, thereby forcing the rear bicyle wheel to rotate forward and urging the bicycle to remain.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the single-track vehicule holder omprises one or more guiding elements that are configured to guide a single-track vehicule for entry into or exit from the parking place, for instance a well-known guide track for the single-track vehicule wheels. Advantageously, the guiding element comprises a guide track with a V-shaped cross section for the single-track vehicule wheels. Another example is the fastening element that leaves a slot for receiving a pedal axle of the bicyle. It consists of a vertical plate that has a slot for guiding the bicyle pedal axle, with the purpose of fastening the single-track vehicule.

Preferably, the barrier is configured substantially to close an entry into the parking place by extending substantially across the path on which the guiding element is configured to guide the bicycle. In the example of a slot for guiding a bicyle pedal axle, a small motorised arm nearby can be made to rotate in or out of the path of the pedal or the path of the pedal axle, not just for securing the bike against theft but for blocking the entry of the next bike into the empty single-track vehicule holder if a due reservation has not been made.

Advantageously, extending substantially across that path means extending across that path such that a single-track vehicule in every possible orientation thereof is prevented from aligning with, from entering into or from progressing within the guiding element. The barrier extends such that for instance tilting the vehicule in the guide track does not suffice to circumvent it .

According to another preferred version of the invention, the single-track vehicule holder comprises at least one substantially upright part that either extends

horizontally by more than half a metre and is substantially smooth elsewhere, or extends vertically by less than two metres and is substantially smooth everywhere. At the same time, the single-track vehicule holder is substantially free of through-holes and extends substantially to prevent through-holes between it and the floor at least within half a metre of the vertical plane along the length and in the middle of the parking place .

Preferably, the single-track vehicule holder comprises at least one substantially horizontal part that connects two of the substantially upright parts, which preferably are substantially flat and substantially parallel to each other. The substantially horizontal part runs across the parking place and in particular also extends

substantially to prevent through-holes between it and the floor.

Substantially means in particular that any through-hole would have a size and place such that a market-typical lock chain for bicycles cannot be put through and closed.

Likewise, substantially smooth equals devoid of extentions over which a market-typical lock chain reliably cannot slip so as to let go of the upright part altogether, given the typical amount of play of the closed lock chain around the parked vehicule. Thus, a driver cannot easily chain a parked vehicule to the single-track vehicule holder and instead would rely on using the lock of the single-track vehicule holder or its own lock chain or a ring lock on the vehicule for blocking a wheel. This allows a human operator of the parking facility to remove an irregulary parked vehicule easily. To recognise them, she advantageously carries a registered interacting data processing device of the system according to the invention.

According to another preferred version of the invention, the single-track vehicule holder, within a reach of 40 centimetres at any height from any place in the parking place, is free of through-holes that are shorter than 30 centimetres and through which a flexible tube with a circular diameter of 2 centimetres can pass.

The system according to the invention comprises at least one controller with at least one processor and with at least one memory. The controller is configured to maintain in its memory a list of parking places or parking place groups, as well as a list of persons, by virtue of appropriate software. Human interaction may still be required for its intended use or for the intended preparation thereof. The controller might be a dedicated data processing device, a personal computer or a server. It might run in the cloud. Depending on circumstances, it might suffice to identify a listed person anonymously, say by his subscription number at an enterprise, instead of by name.

Additionally, the system comprises at least one network interface, possibly including a gateway, to a non-system communication network. This should allow communication even with non-system data processing devices. The non-system communication network typically is the Internet and, perhaps indirectly, mobile telephone wireless networks.

Moreover, the system comprises at least one tag reader at the parking facility that is configured to read visual, electrical, near-field, radio or suchlike tag messages. Known tag readers include chip card readers, magnetic card readers, video camaras with number plate recognition software, passive or active RFID readers and also infrared radiation receivers, for instance those for remotely controlling a garage door. Tag readers might be bar code or matrix code readers mounted on a bicycle parking rack, assuming that a matrix code has been attached to the bicycles at a sufficiently consistent place for reading it, or a radio communication module, assuming that a radio communication module has been attached to the vehicules . The tag messages necessarily are written according to protocols that both provider and reader master, such as the Quick Response Code, Bluetooth Low Energy and Thread, to name some that have been published.

Essentially, the tag reader is meant to detect vehicule presence in the parking facility. The tag messages may originate from a tag on the vehicule, but may as well originate from a mobile device on the driver while he can be assumed to drive the vehicule. Thus, the system comprises at least one tag that is configured to be joined with a vehicule and to provide the tag messages, or else at least one data processing device with at least one processor, memory, user interface and communication module, which data processing device is mobile and is configured by virtue of program

instructions to provide the tag messages, or both. A tag is configured to be joined with a vehicule for instance in the sense that it can be attached easily and durably, or that it can operate for years without replacement of its battery, or that it can decide autonomously when to provide a tag message, or that its housing is waterproof. Much depends on the nature of the vehicule. If the tag has bulky components, it might be configured to be attached to a certain vehicule type because its external shape is adapted to that of the vehicule in such a way that it hardly vibrates or rattles when the vehicule is being driven. The tag might comprise its own electrical power source, typically a battery, preferably also a photovoltaic cell or another autarkic energy source that uses ambient light or movement. The alternative provider of tag messages, namely a mobile data processing device, might be a smart phone or suchlike mobile device, which the driver carries along anyhow, but on which a dedicated application program runs. Other than composing the tag messages, the application programm might detect that the phone is likely present in a vehicule because it has moved at noticeable speed shortly before. When activated, say in the vicinity of a selected parking place, the application program in her smart phone for instance causes an integral Bluetooth Low Energy module to seek contact with the tag readers. Alternatively, the application program causes the integral user interface to display a matrix code that transmits the identity of the driver if she holds it close to the tag reader. In the system according to the invention, the controller is configured to register such tag, respectively such registered tagging data processing device, for a listed person in its memory at least by specifying identification data in the tag messages. This should allow the system to identify the tag, respectively the mobile data processing device, and thus the listed person from a tag message.

The system next comprises at least one communication network that is configured to allow the controller to communicate at least with the tag reader and with the network interface. Dependent on its purpose, some communication should occur near-continuously, other much less frequently, but none less than daily.

Privileged parking, say for the employees or for specific guests of an enterprise, requires their initial registration in a system, and eventually the deletion thereof. Reserved parking additionally requires a reservation per occasion for a specific arrival time. For reserved access to certain car parking houses at the airport of Zurich, Switzerland, the driver must present the proper matrix code at a code reader at a car entrance, on paper or on the screen of his smart phone. The system however does not register the specific parking place that the driver selects. Therefore, when checking whether the car may occupy a parking place, especially if some parking period is exceeded, a human operator at the parking facility must do a manual search of its number plate. Also, if the driver has forgotten the location of his car, of if someone else is to collect it, it may be difficult to find. It is not possible for directing a driver to select an unoccupied parking place that is convenient to him and befitting the purpose of his visit.

Similar problems occur at a bicycle parking house of the central railway station of Utrecht, the Netherlands, which requires a check-in and a check-out with a railway chip card at the gate. Furthermore, as in other bicycle parking facilities, it is difficult to distinguish abandoned bicycles from those in use, for removing them.

The applicant has filed patent application CH709344A2, which discloses a system that comprises tags with Bluetooth Low Energy modules for rental bikes or other rental objects, as well as corresponding tag readers at rental stations. A tag reader can sense whether rental objects are removed from or returned to the area of the rental station. By means of their mobile phone, on which an application program induces communication with the system controller, clients can reserve a rental object via the mobile telephone network and be recognised for taking it away via a Bluetooth Low Energy connection.

According to the invention, the controller is configured to register that a vehicule occupies a listed parking place or the entrance thereto in its memory in response to what appears to be a tag message from a registered tag or from a registered tagging data processing device on the basis of the nature of the tag message and the location of the tag reader. The controller is configured to determine the listed parking place with more or with less accuracy, but at least with a greater likelihood of picking the specific listed parking place than any other one if the parking facility is used as it is intended . The controller for bicycle holders of some rental enterprises is configured to do so, by virtue of a tag reader at each parking place. However, the controller accepts any one of the rental bikes at the parking place and does not distinguish whether the person who parks is suitable. For instance, it does not allow reservation of a parking place to be sure that one is available when returning the bike. In summary, bike rental enterprises deal with their own, specially prepared bicycles and treat all of these alike when they are being returned. Bicycle holders for rental bikes are also inflexible in the sense that they are not meant to accomodate other bicycles, not even of visitors of the bike rental enterprise itself.

The invention aims at overcoming such disadvantages of the prior art.

The invention teaches how to use parking places in a controlled fashion. According to the invention, the controller is configured to register a non-system data processing device for an enterprise with an arrangement for letting its visitors park at the parking facility in its memory, at least by specifying an address in the non-system communication network. Moreover, the controller is configured to register the standing of a listed person in its memory in response to what appears to be a report from the registered non-system data processing device for an enterprise. Typically, such enterprises are located nearby the parking facility and receive many visitors, typically their employees or their clients in the case of a retail seller or the operator of a sports stadium. Public enterprises are included too, such as a post office, the operator of a railway station, the operator of a bus station, the operator of a museum or a government organisation.

In general, an address of a data processing device can be any type of information that enables communication with it as is appropriate. For some types of exchange, a telephone number or an e-mail address may suffice, for others the universally unique identifier, in short UUID, or data on the so-called subscriber identity module or SIM, in either event possibly with a public key or other encryption data.

Finally, the controller according to the invention is configured to register, preferably for a listed parking place, whether or on what condition the vehicule that is registered to occupy a listed parking place or the entrance thereto in response to what appears to be a tag message, may occupy the listed parking place in accordance with the registered standing of the listed person for whom the tag, respectively the tagging data processing device is registered, which makes the data accessible on a need to know basis.

Preferably, the vehicule may park at the parking place on condition that an improvement time period for the listed person to improve his standing has not elapsed. This include condoning the parking on condition that the listed person improves his standing in the improvement time period, and fining him for the respite too if he does not. The listed person for instance improves his standing by ordering or purchasing goods or services from the enterprise. Preferably, the vehicule may park at the parking place on condition that a standing time period has not elapsed. This standing time period may relate to the opening times of a shop that is exploited by an enterprise with the arrangement, or relate to a planned return journey for which an enterprise with the arrangement provides transport. Preferably, the controller is configured to register in its memory for the listed person for whom the tag, respectively the tagging data processing device is registered, at what price the vehicule may occupy the listed parking place in accordance with his registered standing.

According to an advantageous version of the invention, the system comprises at least one data processing device with at least one processor, memory, user interface and communication module, which data processing device is mobile and is configured by virtue of program instructions to interact with the controller. Also, the controller is configured to register such interacting data processing device in its memory at least by specifying an address in the non-system communication network. Finally, the controller is configured to provide information as to whether or on what condition the vehicule may occupy a listed parking place in accordance with the registered standing of the listed person, and the registered interacting data processing device is configured to display the information on its user interface. Firstly, a human operator of the parking facility may carry the registered interacting data processing device, perhaps for receiving instructions to remove an irregulary parked vehicule. Advantageously, she can remove a vehicule easily from a single-track vehicule holder according to the invention that discourages the driver from chaining its vehicule thereto. Alternatively, the operator could lock the irregulary parked vehicule down, until further notice. Preferably, the controller is configured to request a human operator of the parking facility not to remove the parked vehicule if it may occupy the parking place, thus facilitating the recognition and removal of other vehicules that are not supposed to be parked at the parking facility or at the particular parking place group or at the particular parking place. Preferably, the controller is configured to register such interacting data processing device for a listed person in its memory. Then, the registered interacting data processing device is intended to be carried by the driver, so as to inform him.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the system comprises at least one variable display device at the parking facility that is configured to indicate a listed parking place or a listed parking place group, in order to help the driver find his way. The communication network is configured to allow the controller to communicate with the variable display device. Finally, the controller is configured to have the variable display device indicate a listed parking place that the vehicule may occupy in accordance with the registered standing of the listed person. The display device for instance may include arrow-shaped lamps or a rollsign or, at the parking place, coloured lamps or a touch-screen device. Preferably, the display device consists of a focused light source that is configured to project light in or close to the listed parking place. The focused light source might include one or more lasers. It projects light on the ground in or close to the listed parking place, at best a clear spot, possibly in various colours like green and red. The communication network is configured to allow the controller also to communicate with the variable display device.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the tag reader and the registered tag, respectively the registered tagging data processing device, each comprise at least one wireless communication module, advantageously for bidirectional communication.

Moreover, the controller is configured to register that a vehicule occupies a listed parking place or the entrance thereto in its memory in response to what appears to be a wireless tag message from the registered tag, respectively from the registered tagging data processing device, on the basis of the signal strength, the signal runtime or the signal direction of the wireless tag message and the location of the tag reader, preferably with a resolution of the width of one parking place, or better. More preferably, several tag readers with a wireless communication module are configured to estimate the location of the tag by multi-lateration or multi-angulation or a

combination thereof or instead by comparing relative signal strengths.

For reserved access to the car parking houses at the airport of Zurich, Switzerland, the driver must present the proper matrix code at a code reader device at a car entrance for the boom barrier to open. This requires him, at a generally inconvenient time, namely while the engine is running and cars might queue up behind, either to search for a paper on which he had printed out the matrix code in advance, or to manipulate his smart phone into displaying the same on the spot. It requires him to hold the matrix code close to the code reader device and, as soon as it has been read, to take out the parking ticket that said device produces, and store everything where he will find it again when needed.

Therefore, in a preferred version of the invention, the tag message is wireless with a range that covers the tag reader at least from everywhere in an area in front of the barrier through which the vehicule must drive in order to enter into a listed parking place or into a listed parking place group. This enables the system to recognise the vehicule or the driver and to open the barrier reliably. To be sure, the front of the closed barrier is opposite to the listed parking place or to the listed parking place group. The area might border the barrier or instead might cover the breadth of a single road that leads up to the barrier from there. The wireless protocol, the location and sensitivity of the local wireless communication modules must be chosen to ensure said range of communication. In particular, even if located close to the barrier, a card reader for passive RFID cards is insufficient. The wireless tag message for instance originates from the smart phone of the driver, in which an application program often causes the Bluetooth Low Energy module to seek contact with the wireless module of the tag reader, if applicable starting well before the arrival time that the driver had indicated when making the same application program send the reservation. Preferably, the smart phone spends little energy on seeking contact until it has also detected that it is being transported by way of the frequent hand-overs between base stations.

Alternatively, a dedicated tag is attached to or stored in the vehicule permanently. The tag might wake up for seeking contact with the wireless communication module of the tag reader if it suspects that it is being transported, for instance on the basis of the signal of an integrated acceleration sensor, if applicable only within a time period that is based on the expected arrival time that the driver has entered in his

reservation data processing device and that has been delivered to the tag via the Bluetooth Low Energy module thereof.

According to a preferred version of the invention, the controller is configured to register a non-system payment provoking device for a listed person in its memory at least by specifying an address in the non-system communication network, and configured to provoke a payment at the expense of the listed person for whom the registered tag, respectively the registered tagging data processing device is registered, in accordance with his registered standing. The controller might reach this conclusion for instance if the tag reader detectes that the listed parking place is being occupied soon after the controller has the drive unlock the barrier thereof to allow a vehicule entry for the listed person who had send a reservation request. Payment by him may occur in various ways. For instance, the controller might cause a pre-authorised debit at his expense by a non-system payment provoking device in the bank of the listed person. More easily, the controller is configured to cause an invoice to be sent to him, for which in combination with his name a postal address suffices. In that case, the non-system payment provoking device may be a printer in the financial administration department of the parking facility operator. The controller is configured to provoke a payment at his expense to the benefit of the parking facility operator. Alternatively, the non-system payment provoking device is a computer that effects a payment in Bitcoin or the like, if such method of payment has been accepted.

Advantageously, the controller is configured to provoke a payment at his expense that depends on the listed parking place, respectively on the listed parking place group. Preferably, the payment amount per unit parking time depends on the location. The distance to the usual target of the parking place users may play a role, or the attractiveness of the surrounding area. The payment amount might reflect the regular amount for the detected parking period, however with a rebate if his standing at the parking facility reflects that he has committed to payment to the benefit of an enterprise with the arrangement within said period. This rebate might increase stepwise with the overall amount of payment to the benefit of the enterprise. Preferably, the controller is configured not to provoke a payment at all if his standing at the enterprise reflects that he has committed to payment to the benefit of the enterprise of altogether more than a threshold amount within said period.

For example, in the vicinity of a large railway station, the system would let anyone use bicycle parking areas that are remote from the station entrances without charge, provided however that his bicycle carries a tag. The purpose of the tag, for one, is checking whether a maximum parking duration has been exceeded. In this example, nearby bicycle parking areas can be used by railway company clients and by its employees without charge, and by anyone else at a fee, again on condition that the bicycle carries the tag. Some nearby bicycle parking racks however are accessible to railway company clients only, at a fee, possibly subject to reservation.

According to another preferred version of the invention, the system comprises at least one single-track vehicule holder according to the invention. Thus, the barrier thereof possibly may lock down a vehicule in a parking place, but surely may hinder it from entering in the first place. Barriers for individual parking places rather than for groups help optimise the use of available parking places and prioritise user demand. Also, the communication network is configured to allow the controller to communicate with the drive. The controller is configured to have the drive open, close, lock or unlock the barrier.

In an advantageous version, the system then comprises at least one data processing device with at least one processor, memory, user interface and communication module, which data processing device is configured by virtue of program instructions to interact with the controller, which controller is configured to register such interacting data processing device for a listed person in its memory at least by specifying an address in the non-system communication network. The registered interacting data processing device is configured by virtue of program instructions to provide a reservation request. Also, the controller is configured to have the drive close or lock the barrier in response to what appears to be a reservation request with an indication of the arrival time and of a listed person in accordance with his registered standing. It is configured to have the drive open or unlock the barrier in response to what appears to be a tag message from the registered tag or from the registered tagging data processing device for the indicated listed person, or in other circumstances upon elapse of a reservation period that is based on the arrival time indication. Thus, the controller is configured first to decide on the reservation request. It sends back a confirmation or refusal.

Advantageously, the reservation request would contain a departure time indication as well .

Figure 1 schematically depicts the main functional elements of a system according to the invention, as well as a general parking place group for single-track vehicules and a row of single-track vehicule holders at privileged parking places.

Figure 2 schematically depicts a row of bicycle holders according to the invention at privileged parking places in perspective.

Figure 3 schematically depicts a row of bicycle holders according to the invention at reservation-only parking places in perspective.

Figure 4 schematically depicts the bicycle holder according to the invention as shown in figure 3 from above.

Figure 5 schematically depicts a row of other bicycle holders according to the invention at reservation-only parking places in perspective.

In figure 1, system 1 comprises a controller 2 with a processor 3 and with a memory 4. Included too are three tag readers 5a, 5b, 5c at a parking facility, a Bluetooth Low Energy wireless tracking device tag 6 that is joined with a vehicule and a tagging data processing device 7b in the sense of a mobile phone that is carried by the driver. A network interface 8 connects the system to the Internet and a communication network 9 connects controller 2 to all these parts.

Controller 2 maintains a list of parking places in three parking place groups in memory 4, namely general, priviledged and reservation-only. The general parking place group 11 is an unattractive location but accessible, albeit for a limited amount of time, to anyone who has properly tagged his vehicule with a Bluetooth Low Energy wireless tracking device 6. Priviledged and reservation-only parking are better located and are accessible for a purpose-based duration, but only to qualified persons, respectively to persons who have made a reservation. Tag readers 5a, 5b are configured to read radio tag messages according to the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol from tag 6 and from mobile phone 7b. The position of the vehicule in front of or at the specific parking place 12 is distinguishable with an accuracy of some 20 centimeters by measuring the signal path lengths by bilateration on the basis of their runtime.

In a non-depicted alternative, a passive RFID strip has been fixed to the vehicule, and a reader therefore has been fixed next to every parking place. This greater effort increases the resolution and pays off once several cyclists with a parking reservation arrive simultaneously.

A railway operator has an arrangement for letting its clients park at the parking facility. Controller 2 registers a non-system data processing device 13 for it in memory 4, as well as the so obtained standing of listed persons at the railway operator.

In memory 4, controller 2 maintains a list of persons. It registers tag 6 and mobile phone 7b for a specific person therein. For the person whose vehicule occupies the specific parking place 12, it registers this event too.

In particular, controller 2 registeres whether the person has prepaid or has allowed automated debting, be it directly for parking or be it in directly for transportation by the railway operator, in which case his vehicule may occupy it for a corresponding period of time and at a price that depends on the type of parking place. If not, controller 2 would register that his vehicule may occupy a general parking place until midnight the next day. However, because parking place 12 is a a priviledged parking place for railway clients, controller 2 registers that his vehicule may occupy it during a respite, say 20 minutes, upon the tag readers 5a, 5b first receiving such tag message after a while, say 8 hours, or instead during a respite of 60 minutes if he is already known to be a regular client, say a subscriber. If the non-system data processing device 13 reports his purchase of a railway ticket within the respite, controller 2 registers that his vehicule may continue to occupy parking place 12 for a travel period, which ends 30 minutes after the arrival of the last train that might complete any scheduled return trip within one week, or at midnight of the day that follows his purchase, whichever is later.

Provided that the statute, a court order or a contract enables the parking facility operator accordingly, the driver of a vehicule that occupies a parking place 12 that it may not or may no longer occupy, is charged with a fee per unit extra time or with a fine if he is not privileged. In its memory 4, controller 2 has registered a non-system printer in the financial administration department of the parking facility operator for sending him an invoice in order to provoke his payment. Likewise, his vehicule is confiscated to free up the parking place or to secure payment as a lien.

Now, data on proper or improper parking place occupancy is centrally accessible.

Controller 2 has registered data processing devices in its memory 4, here smart phones 7a, 7b. The smart phones 7a, 7b have a processor 15, a memory 16, a user interface 17 and a communication module 18. Processor 15 executes an application program with program instructions for the smart phone 7a, 7b to interact with controller 2. The application program in smart phone 7a provides information on demand as to whether a vehicule may occupy a parking place. It displays this information on the user interface 17 to the benefit of a human operator of the parking facility. Her job is to remove irregulary parked bicycles and the like, or to put an invoice or even a wheel clamp on irregulary parked cars or busses. Likewise, controller 2 has registered smart phones 7b with a similar app that the driver possesses in its memory 4. They serve to send tag messages to tag readers 5a, 5b, 5c, to warn the driver about paying parking fees, to let him pay remotely or to let him remove his vehicule in time.

Figure 2 schematically depicts a row of bicycle holders according to the invention at privileged parking places. The bicycle holders are suitable for and equipped with components of a system according to the invention.

Each bicycle holder comprises two flat upright parts 19c, 19d, 19e, 19f and a low horizontal part that connects them. They share a flat upright part with the neighbouring bicycle holder, if any. The flat upright parts mark the outline of the parking place. The bicycle holders comprise a guide track for the bicycle wheels and another element that is both fastening element and guiding element, namely a slot 20 for receiving a bicyle pedal axle in each flat upright part 19d, 19e, 19f on the right, both of which mark the parking place yet further. Next to the slot 20, at the far side of the flat upright part 19d, 19e, 19f, a small motorised arm can secure a parked bicyle by rotating to block or to release the bicyle pedal axle. This arm constitutes a barrier that can allow or refuse a bicycle exit from the parking place, in order to to prevent theft.

Different from what is shown in figure 1, each tag reader 5d, 5e, 5f comprises a matrix code reader that is integrated in the right flat upright part 19d, 19e, 19f . After parking his bike in parking place 12, the driver should present the matrix code on user interface 17 of his smart phone 7b that the app therein has prepared to the tag reader 5e. Thus, controller 2 of the system according to the invention can assess whether and on what conditions the bicycle may occupy parking place 12, and inform the smart phone 7a of the human operator of the parking facility.

In a preferred implementation of the invention for ease of handling, each tag reader 5d, 5e, 5f comprises an RFID reader that is able to read a subscription chip card in the wallet of the cyclist, or an RFID chip that has been fixed to the bicycle itself.

The flat upright parts 19c, 19d, 19e, 19f extend horizontally by up to 80 centimetres and vertically by up to one metre. They are substantially smooth everywhere. All, as well as the horizontal parts that connect them, are free of through-holes for lock chains and connect to the floor to prevent such holes there. Thus, a driver can lock his bike either by requesting controller 2 to have the motor rotate the arm in the path of the bicyle pedal axle in slot 20, or by using his own lock chain or the integrated ring lock for blocking a wheel, therefore without fixing the bicycle to the ground.

Figure 3 schematically depicts a row of bicycle holders according to the invention at reservation-only parking places . The bicycle holders are substantially identical to those as shown in figure 2, with a few notable exceptions.

The left flat upright part 19g, 19h, 19i, 19 j of each bicycle holder carries a large horizontal barrier 21h, 21 j comprising a hinge that is mounted at the far side thereof. A spring is integrated in the hinge, urging the barrier to close across the width of the parking place. At the opposite flat upright part 19h, 19i, 19 j , a drive can slide a small pin either to lock or to unlock the large barrier 21h, 21 j in its closed position. At parking place 12, the large barrier has been unlocked by the drive and opened by the driver pushing it inwards against the force of the spring when entering his bicycle via the guide tracks for the bicycle wheels. Thus, controller 2 by having the drive unlock the large barrier can allow or refuse a bicycle entry into a reservation-only parking place. The large barriers are straight with a curve at their free end in the inward direction. The curve prevents the spring-loaded barrier from getting stuck behind parts of the bicycle during exit thereof.

A driver can send a reservation request by means of his smart phone 7b with an app that interacts with controller 2. If his request is backed up by his standing, controller 2 confirms the request. Given a plurality of confirmed requests at any time, controller 2 calculates a likely sufficient amount of available parking places and timely causes drives to lock large barriers 21h, 21 j closed across empty parking places, should anyone try to open them. Controller 2 has the drive unlock a large barrier if a tag message from the proper tag or from the proper tagging data processing device arrives, but not once 40 minutes after the arrival time indication in the request have elapsed.

Rather than having a tag reader integrated in each bicycle holder, the tag readers 5a, 5b of the system according to the invention as shown in figure 1 are mounted at either side of the row of bicycle holders.

Variable display devices 22h, 22i, 22j at the privileged parking place group includes several small lasers that controller 2 may let project a bright green symbol in front of a parking place with a closed large barrier that is available to be occupied, and a bright red symbol in front of the others.

Figure 4 schematically depicts the bicycle holder according to the invention as shown in figure 3.

The flat upright part 19h of the bicycle holder carries a large horizontal barrier 21i at the spring-loaded hinge thereof. The spring urges the rotatable part of the barrier to close across the width of the parking place 12 against a non-depicted abutment on the opposite flat upright part 19i. The extreme positions of the rotatable part are shown in dotted lines. A non-depicted drive is mounted at the flat upright part 19i, which can slide a small pin through a hole therein either to lock or to unlock the large barrier 21i in its closed position.

A non-depicted, preferred version of the bicycle holder further comprises a storage box with a door and with a door lock. The driver may get access to such a locker by way of the mobile data processing device 7b for him that controller 2 had registered in its memory 4. The app therein that interacts with controller 2 allows him access on request with the reservation request or separately.

Also, not depicted is a preferred version of the bicycle holder that comprises a loading station for electric single-track vehicule. The mobile data processing device 7b for the driver likewise is capable of controlling the operation thereof.

Figure 5 schematically depicts a row of other bicycle holders according to the invention at reservation-only parking places .

The bicycle holders are substantially identical to those as shown in figure 3, with some exceptions .

Instead of the left flat upright part 19g, 19h, 19i of the bicycle holders, the three large barriers 21h, 21 j are carried by the right one. Accordingly, their hinge is located at the side of the parking place that is nearest to where the guiding element, a guide track with a V-shaped cross section for the bicycle wheels, is configured to guide the bicycle.

The large barriers 21h, 21 j are straight, without a curve at their free end, so as to open fittingly against the flat upright part 19h, 19i, 19 on the right.

In order to keep a fully opened barrier against the force of its spring, a non-depicted magnet is integrated in the flat upright part 19h, 19i, 19 j at the right side of the parking place. The magnet however contains an electric coil, through which controller 2 can cause an electric pulse to flow in order to disengage the barrier and have its spring close it.