Vehicle transaction data communication using communication device

• US 10,580,001 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Epona LLC
• Original Assignee: Epona LLC
• Inventors: Betancourt, Ernest, Peschio, Vince
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartley, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US14/153,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20150199685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,241 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10386 the interrogation device being of the portable or hand-handheld type, e.g. incorporated in ubiquitous hand-held devices such as PDA or mobile phone, or in the form of a portable dedicated RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists

Abstract

A transaction request may be initiated and completed using a vehicle based communication system. A vehicle may include a wireless tag or transponder, and a wireless system at a service station or fuel station can detect the presence of the wireless tag in a predefined wireless service area. The wireless system can transmit location information based on the detected location of the wireless tag or vehicle to the wireless tag. A communication device may establish a communication connection with a wireless tag or transponder, and through the communication connection, the wireless tag can transmit the location information received from the wireless system to the communication device. The requester may use the communication device to provide or enter transaction information. The communication device can transmit the transaction information for transaction authorization, and in response to authorization of the transaction, a transaction authorization indication may be transmitted to a point of sale.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a tag reader of a wireless system, for detection of a wireless tag of a vehicle within a predefined wireless service area of a service station associated with the wireless system;

in response to detecting the wireless tag in the predefined wireless service area of the service station, determining, by the tag reader of the wireless system, whether the wireless tag of the vehicle is configured to request authorization through a point of sale of the service station;

in response to determining that the wireless tag is configured to request authorization through the point of sale, triggering, by the tag reader of the wireless system, a communication device within proximity of the vehicle to display a user information request on a display of the communication device, wherein the triggering comprises transmitting location information;

receiving, by the tag reader of the wireless system via the wireless tag of the vehicle, user-provided user information originating from the triggered communication device responsive to receiving the location information;

transmitting, by the tag reader of the wireless system to the point of sale, an authorization request comprising the user-provided user information;

receiving, by the tag reader of the wireless system from the point of sale, an authorization indication responsive to the authorization request, wherein the authorization indication includes an authorized amount of fuel to be dispensed at a fuel pump;

activating the fuel pump to dispense the authorized amount of fuel in response to receiving authorization of user information of a user associated with the vehicle; and

transmitting, by the tag reader of the wireless system to the wireless tag of the vehicle, the authorization indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and the tag reader comprises an RFID tag reader, and

wherein the user information includes at least one of:

driver identification information, trip identification information, trailer identification information, truck identification information, license number, and load identification information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization indication further includes a denial message or an error message, and

wherein transmitting the authorization indication comprises:

transmitting, by the tag reader to the wireless tag of the vehicle, the denial message or the error message responsive to receiving the authorization indication.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the error message is configured to cause the triggered communication device to re-display the user information request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering, by the tag reader of the wireless system, the communication device within proximity of the vehicle to display the user information request on the display of the communication device comprises:

transmitting, by the tag reader of the wireless system to the wireless tag of the vehicle, a lane location of the vehicle at a service station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein within proximity of the vehicle comprises within communication range of the wireless tag of the vehicle.

7. A system, comprising:

one or more tag readers;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

monitor, by the one or more tag readers, for detection of a wireless tag of a vehicle within a predefined wireless service area of a service station associated with the system;

in response to detecting the wireless tag in the predefined wireless service area of the service station, determine, by the one or more tag readers, whether the wireless tag of the vehicle is configured to request authorization through a point of sale of the service station;

in response to determining that the wireless tag is configured to request authorization through the point of sale, trigger, by the one or more tag readers, a communication device within proximity of the vehicle to display a user information request on a display of the communication device, wherein the triggering comprises transmitting location information;

receive, by the one or more tag readers via the wireless tag of the vehicle, user-provided user information originating from the triggered communication device responsive to receiving the location information;

transmit, by the one or more tag readers to the point of sale, an authorization request comprising the user-provided user information;

receive, by the one or more tag readers from the point of sale, an authorization indication responsive to the authorization request, wherein the authorization indication includes an authorized amount of fuel to be dispensed at a fuel pump;

activate the fuel pump to dispense the authorized amount of fuel in response to receiving authorization of user information of a user associated with the vehicle; and

transmit, by the one or more tag readers to the wireless tag of the vehicle, the authorization indication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the wireless tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and the one or more tag readers each comprise an RFID tag reader.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user information includes at least one of:

driver identification information, trip identification information, trailer identification information, truck identification information, license number, and load identification information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the authorization indication further includes a denial message or an error message, and

wherein transmitting the authorization indication comprises:

transmitting, by the tag reader to the wireless tag of the vehicle, the denial message or the error message responsive to receiving the authorization indication.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the error message is configured to cause the triggered communication device to re-display the user information request.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein trigger, by the one or more tag readers, the communication device within proximity of the vehicle to display the user information request on the display of the communication device comprises:

transmit, by the one or more tag readers to the wireless tag of the vehicle, a lane location of the vehicle at a service station.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein within proximity of the vehicle comprises within communication range of the wireless tag of the vehicle.

14. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a wireless system to:

monitor, by, a tag reader of the wireless system, for detection of a wireless tag of a vehicle within a predefined wireless service area of a service station associated with the wireless system;

in response to detecting the wireless tag in the predefined wireless service area of the service station, determine, by the tag reader, whether the wireless tag of the vehicle is configured to request authorization through a point of sale of the service station;

in response to determining that the wireless tag is configured to request authorization through the point of sale, trigger, by the tag reader, a communication device within proximity of the vehicle to display a user information request on a display of the communication device, wherein the triggering comprises transmitting location information;

receive, by the tag reader via the wireless tag of the vehicle, user-provided user information originating from the triggered communication device responsive to receiving the location information;

transmit, by the tag reader to the point of sale, an authorization request comprising the user-provided user information;

receive, by the tag reader from the point of sale, an authorization indication responsive to the authorization request, wherein the authorization indication includes an authorized amount of fuel to be dispensed at a fuel pump;

activate the fuel pump to dispense the authorized amount of fuel in response to receiving authorization of user information of a user associated with the vehicle; and

transmit, by the tag reader to the wireless tag of the vehicle, the authorization indication.

15. The computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the wireless tag comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and the tag reader comprises an RFID tag reader, and

wherein the user information includes at least one of:

driver identification information, trip identification information, trailer identification information, truck identification information, license number, and load identification information.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the authorization indication further includes a denial message or an error message, and

wherein transmitting the authorization indication comprises:

transmitting, by the tag reader to the wireless tag of the vehicle, the denial message or the error message responsive to receiving the authorization indication.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the error message is configured to cause the triggered communication device to re-display the user information request.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein triggering, by the tag reader of the wireless system, the communication device within proximity of the vehicle to display the user information request on the display of the communication device comprises:

transmitting, by the tag reader of the wireless system to the wireless tag of the vehicle, a lane location of the vehicle at a service station.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein within proximity of the vehicle comprises within communication range of the wireless tag of the vehicle.