Abstract: The application discloses a processing system that includes a processor configured to qualify, based at least in part upon meta information, environmental status information extracted from signals received from a plurality of remote sensors, each of the sensor signals being indicative of the condition of a respective environment being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors. The processor preferably is configured to generate a report of the status of a plurality of physically distributed environments based at least in part upon correlation of environmental status information extracted from a plurality sensor signals indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective monitored environments with information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with the monitored environments. Methods of processing information received from a plurality of remote sensors also are disclosed.

Abstract: A slot antenna is used to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals from within the housing of an electronic parking meter. The antenna is formed on a circuit board from a layer of conductive material from which some material has been removed to form a slot. A signal feed element, such as a coaxial cable terminating at a coaxial connector, connects electrically to the layer of conductive material on one side of the slot. A conductive element extends from the signal feed element across the slot to connect to the layer of conductive material.