Universal transponder

• US 10,083,385 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Original Assignee: Neology Incorporated (OEP Technologie BV)
• Inventors: Martinez de Velasco Cortina, Francisco, Mullis, Joe, Rietzler, Manfred, Nyalamadugu, Sheshi, Monsalvo, Rodolfo
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Claude J
• Application Number:
  US14/684,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20150294210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 235379, 715700
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0724 the arrangement being a circuit for communicating at a plurality of frequencies, e.g. for managing time multiplexed communication over at least two antennas of different types
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07794 the record carrier comprising a booster or auxiliary antenna in addition to the antenna connected directly to the integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/349 Rechargeable cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/352 Contactless payments by cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

An account is managed using information read from a dual frequency transponder. Information stored on the dual frequency transponder can be read by a NFC-enabled device and by a UHF RFID reader. The information links, corresponds, or otherwise provides access to account information stored at a remote server. For example, a NFC-enabled device can read the information from the dual frequency transponder and use that information to enable instant and on-the-spot recharging of a toll account. In addition, a UHF RFID toll reader can scan information from the dual frequency transponder and use that information to debit toll charges from the correct toll account. The dual frequency transponder can be embedded in a license plate and read using a reader placed in the road. Additionally, the transponder can be configured to function at the correct frequency only when a valid vehicle registration sticker is applied to the license plate.

Claims

1. A system for managing a toll account, comprising:

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having a single transponder configured to;

communicate via two or more antennas and corresponding two or more frequencies, and

store information related to the toll account; and

a mobile device comprising a first RFID reader operating at a first frequency among the one two or more frequencies and configured to;

read, using the first RFID reader, the information related to the toll account stored on the RFID tag;

access, via a network, account information of the toll account based at least on the information related to the toll account obtained from the RFID tag by the first RFID reader;

receive one or more recharge instructions including a recharge amount to recharge the toll account;

process the one or more recharge instructions via the network; and

update the account information of the toll account based on the processed one or more recharge instructions;

wherein the RFID tag is configured to communicate at least a portion of the information related to the toll account stored on the RFID tag to a toll device using a second RFID reader included in the toll device operating at a second frequency among the two or more frequencies, wherein the toll device is configured to apply a charge to the toll account based, in part, on the at least a portion of the information related to the toll account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein prior to accessing the account information of the toll account, the mobile device is configured to prompt a user of the mobile device to provide one or more forms of security or authentication credentials.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to access the account information by retrieving the account information stored at a remote server based at least on the information related to the toll account read from the RFID tag by the first RFID reader.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the account information includes an account status and an account balance, and wherein the mobile device is configured to update the account information of the toll account by updating the account status and the account balance based on the processed one or more recharge instructions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is further configured to launch an application on an user interface (UI) of the mobile device upon receiving the information related to the toll account obtained by the first RFID reader.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the application is configured to:

display the account information of the toll account;

display one or more options for a user to select to recharge the toll account; and

receive a user selection from the one or more options to recharge the toll account.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more options include one or more recharge amounts and one or more payment methods.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more payment methods include a virtual wallet.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency comprises a high frequency (HF) or an ultra-high frequency (UHF).

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RFID reader is configured to read the information stored on the RFID tag using near field communication (NFC).

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RFID reader is configured to read the information stored on the RFID tag by touching, tapping, or positioning the mobile device and the RFID tag sufficiently close to each other.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more user instructions to recharge the toll account further include a payment method and a user credential.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to process the one or more user instructions to recharge the toll account by transmitting the received one or more user instructions to a payment backend server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is installed on a vehicle linked to the toll account.

15. A method of managing a toll account, comprising:

reading, by a first RFID reader of a mobile device operating at a first frequency, information related to the toll account stored on a RFID tag having a single transponder configured communicate via two or more antennas and corresponding two or more frequencies including the first frequency and a second frequency; and

accessing, by the mobile device via a network, account information of the toll account based at least on the information related to the toll account obtained from the RFID tag by the first RFID reader;

receiving, at the mobile device, one or more recharge instructions including a recharge amount to recharge the toll account;

processing the one or more recharge instructions via the network;

updating the account information of the toll account based on the processed one or more recharge instructions; and

communicating, by the RFID tag, at least a portion of the information related to the toll account stored on the RFID tag to a toll device using a second RFID reader included in the toll device operating at the second frequency, wherein the toll device is configured to apply a charge to the toll account based, in part, on the at least a portion of the information related to the toll account.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein prior to accessing the account information of the toll account, the mobile device is configured to prompt a user of the mobile device to provide one or more forms of security or authentication credentials.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein accessing the account information includes retrieving the account information stored at a remote server based at least on the information related to the toll account read from the RFID tag by the first RFID reader.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the account information includes an account status and an account balance, and wherein updating the account information of the toll account includes updating the account status and the account balance based on the processed one or more recharge instructions.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further includes launching an application on an user interface (UI) of the mobile device upon receiving the information related to the toll account obtained by the first RFID reader.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method further includes:

displaying the account information of the toll account;

displaying one or more options for a user to select to recharge the toll account; and

receiving a user selection from the one or more options to recharge the toll account.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more options include one or more recharge amounts and one or more payment methods.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more payment methods include a virtual wallet.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the first frequency comprises a high frequency (HF) or an ultra-high frequency (UHF).

24. The method of claim 15, wherein reading the information stored on the RFID tag includes using near field communication (NFC).

25. The method of claim 15, wherein reading the information stored on the RFID tag includes touching, tapping, or positioning the first RFID reader and the RFID tag sufficiently close to each other.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more user instructions to recharge the toll account further include a payment method and a user credential.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein processing the one or more user instructions to recharge the toll account includes transmitting the received one or more user instructions to a payment backend server.