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Mobile device-enhanced rental vehicle returns

  • US 10,549,721 B2
  • Filed: 03/14/2014
  • Issued: 02/04/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for remotely controlling access to a rental vehicle in concert with an automated return administration of the rental vehicle, the method comprising:

  • a processor resident in a mobile device receiving input from a user, the received input indicative of a request to return a rental vehicle, the rental vehicle corresponding to a rental vehicle transaction;

    in response to the received input, the processor (1) initiating an automated retrieval of rental vehicle information via a vehicle telematics unit deployed in the rental vehicle, the rental vehicle information comprising a current fuel level for the rental vehicle, (2) determining from a rental vehicle transaction record in a computer memory for the rental vehicle transaction whether the rental vehicle has already been scheduled for return, (3) in response to a determination that the rental vehicle has not already been scheduled for return, (i) providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for display to the user on the mobile device, the GUI configured to solicit temporal data for the rental vehicle return from the user, and (ii) receiving the temporal data for the rental vehicle return from the user through the GUI, and (4) in response to a determination that the rental vehicle has already been scheduled for return, (i) determining whether the return request indicates that the user is attempting to return the rental vehicle on a date prior to a date previously scheduled for the return, and (ii) in response to a determination that the return request indicates that the user is attempting to return the rental vehicle on a date prior to a date previously scheduled for the return, communicating information to the user to notify the user of the early return and solicit input from the user whether the user wishes to continue with the early return;

    the processor providing another GUI for display to the user via the mobile device, the another GUI configured to display fuel level data relating to the current fuel level retrieved via the vehicle telematics unit;

    the processor initiating a closing of the rental vehicle transaction after the another GUI has been provided for display to the user via the mobile device;

    in response to the closing, communicating a wireless signal to the rental vehicle; and

    the rental vehicle controlling at least one of (1) a door locking system of the rental vehicle, (2) an immobilizer of the rental vehicle, and (3) an ignition system of the rental vehicle in response to the wireless signal so as to disable use of the rental vehicle by a renter corresponding to the closed rental vehicle transaction.

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