How Mobile Apps Connect Drivers to Real-Time Parking Spots
A system where a parking server uses a mobile carrier's authentication to help drivers find, track, and reserve parking spots in real-time.
Original patent title: “Mobile parking systems and methods for providing real-time parking guidance”
A system where a parking server uses a mobile carrier's authentication to help drivers find, track, and reserve parking spots in real-time. Granted to Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc in 2018 with 23 claims and 1 forward citation.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system that connects a driver's mobile app to a central parking management server. When a user requests a spot, the server first checks with the user's mobile carrier to confirm they are authorized to use the service. Once verified, the server scans a database for available spots near the user's destination. If a spot becomes unavailable, the system continuously updates the user with other nearby options until they successfully reserve one. Finally, it updates the database to mark that spot as taken and notifies the parking lot manager.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover parking systems that operate without a mobile carrier's authentication server.
- Does not cover hardware-only parking sensors that do not communicate with a central management server.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer parking reservations that occur without a centralized management database.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system offloads the security burden to the mobile carrier, using the carrier's existing authentication infrastructure to verify users before granting access to the parking database.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
SpotHero
ParkWhiz
Smart city parking apps integrated with mobile carrier billing
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses the friction of urban parking by integrating mobile network authentication with location-based services. It formalizes the hand-off between a telecommunications provider and a third-party service provider, which is a common architecture in modern smart city applications.
Filed
September 3, 2013
Granted
October 23, 2018
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Verizon remains a key player in the intersection of mobile networks and IoT services. Various smart city startups and established parking management platforms like SpotHero and ParkWhiz utilize similar server-side architectures to manage real-time availability.
Market impact
This patent reflects the industry shift toward 'connected car' services where mobile carriers seek to monetize their network access by partnering with third-party service providers. It highlights the importance of standardized authentication in the growing market for smart city infrastructure.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system that connects a driver's mobile app to a central parking management server. When a user requests a spot, the server first checks with the user's mobile carrier to confirm they are authorized to use the service. Once verified, the server scans a database for available spots near the user's destination. If a spot becomes unavailable, the system continuously updates the user with other nearby options until they successfully reserve one. Finally, it updates the database to mark that spot as taken and notifies the parking lot manager.
The clever bit
The system offloads the security burden to the mobile carrier, using the carrier's existing authentication infrastructure to verify users before granting access to the parking database.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover parking systems that operate without a mobile carrier's authentication server.
- Does not cover hardware-only parking sensors that do not communicate with a central management server.
- Does not cover peer-to-peer parking reservations that occur without a centralized management database.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$73K – $234K
Midpoint $146K · 7.2 yr remaining · industry ×1.5
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Aksu, A., KOTECHA, L. R., & Haynes, T. W. (2018). How Mobile Apps Connect Drivers to Real-Time Parking Spots (U.S. Patent No. 10,108,910). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10108910/airbnb-booking-platform
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Mobile Apps Connect Drivers to Real-Time Parking Spots cover?
A system where a parking server uses a mobile carrier's authentication to help drivers find, track, and reserve parking spots in real-time.
Who owns patent US 10108910?
Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc owns this patent, granted in 2018.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 23, 2038, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 10108910 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses the friction of urban parking by integrating mobile network authentication with location-based services. It formalizes the hand-off between a telecommunications provider and a third-party service provider, which is a common architecture in modern smart city applications.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover parking systems that operate without a mobile carrier's authentication server.
Patent monitoring