Parking Meter Sensor Housing for Wire-Free Environmental Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for upgrading street parking meters with environmental sensors and wireless communication capabilities are labor-intensive and costly, requiring extensive infrastructure modifications and resulting in electronic waste, while also increasing operating costs.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a sensor, wireless radio, and power unit that can be easily mounted to existing parking meters, allowing for the collection and transmission of environmental information without requiring electrical connections to the existing meter, facilitating rapid, low-cost upgrades and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing parking meters are upgraded using traditional methods (coring asphalt, replacing internal components, or complete removal and reinstallation), then the parking meters gain environmental sensing and wireless communication capabilities, but the upgrade process becomes labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The upgrade system is divided into separate modular components: a sensor module with housing that can be independently installed on the existing meter pole, a wireless communication module, and a power module. This segmentation allows the sensing capabilities to be added without replacing the entire meter system, enabling rapid deployment while maintaining the original meter functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor housing is designed to be mounted around or alongside the existing meter pole structure, with the sensor module nested within the housing. This nested configuration allows the new environmental sensing system to integrate with the existing infrastructure without requiring complete removal or extensive modification of the original meter.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional upgrade methods are used involving infrastructure modifications, then environmental sensing capability is added, but labor costs and material costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the upgrade into a standalone sensor module that attaches to the existing pole rather than replacing internal meter components, the system eliminates expensive infrastructure modifications like coring asphalt or underground wiring. The modular design uses simple mounting mechanisms that reduce both labor and material costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor module is designed as a self-contained unit with its own housing, power supply, and wireless communication capabilities, requiring no complex integration with existing meter infrastructure. This self-service design simplifies installation and reduces the need for specialized labor and expensive materials.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complete meter replacement is performed, then environmental sensing and wireless communication are achieved, but electronic waste increases and operating costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The environmental sensing functionality is extracted as a separate module that attaches to the existing meter pole rather than being integrated into a completely new meter system. This extraction approach allows the original meter to continue serving its primary function while the added module provides environmental sensing, preventing the disposal of functional components and reducing electronic waste.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding existing meters during upgrade, the system recovers and retains the original meter infrastructure by mounting the sensor module externally. This approach maximizes resource utilization by keeping existing functional components in service while adding new capabilities, thereby minimizing electronic waste generation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If wired electrical connections are made to existing meters for power and data, then sensor functionality is achieved, but system complexity increases and future upgrades become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical/wired electrical connections with wireless communication technology. The sensor module communicates with the central system via wireless signals, eliminating the need for physical cable connections to the existing meter. This substitution reduces system complexity by removing wiring requirements while maintaining full sensor functionality and data transmission capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor module is designed as a self-powered unit with integrated wireless communication, requiring no electrical connections to the existing meter infrastructure. This self-service design simplifies the overall system by making the sensor module independent, thereby reducing installation complexity and facilitating easier future upgrades or reconfigurations.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and meters comprising: a housing configured to mount to a pole supporting an existing meter, the housing defining an interior; a sensor within the interior of the housing, the sensor configured to collect environmental information pertaining to the local external environment of the existing meter; a wireless radio within the interior of the housing, the wireless radio configured to transmit the environmental information to the existing meter or to a remote server in communication with the existing meter; a power unit within the interior of the housing, the power unit supplying power to the sensor and the wireless radio.