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Vehicle travel monitoring and payment systems and methods

  • US 10,580,088 B2
  • Filed: 03/03/2010
  • Issued: 03/03/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for collecting and allocating road use fees, comprising:

  • receiving, by a vehicle-based system using an input device of the vehicle, driver input identifying a first driver as the driver of a vehicle in a first jurisdiction;

    periodically determining a current position of the vehicle using a global navigation satellite system of the vehicle;

    determining, by the vehicle-based system, using the global navigation satellite system of the vehicle, when the vehicle has crossed a jurisdictional border exiting the first jurisdiction;

    in response to the determination that the vehicle has exited the first jurisdiction;

    (a) determining, by the vehicle-based system, a first distance that the vehicle has traveled within the first jurisdiction;

    (b) identifying a first jurisdiction computer system associated with the first jurisdiction; and

    (c) transmitting, by the vehicle-based system, first data including the first distance that the vehicle has traveled within the first jurisdiction and the identity of the first driver of the vehicle in the first jurisdiction, to the first jurisdiction computer system associated with the first jurisdiction;

    receiving, at the first jurisdiction computer system associated with the first jurisdiction, the first data transmitted from the vehicle indicating the first distance the vehicle has traveled within the first jurisdiction and the identity of the first driver of the vehicle in the first jurisdiction;

    calculating, by the first jurisdiction computer system, a first road use fee due to the first jurisdiction based on the identity of the first driver of the vehicle and a first road use fee schedule associated with the first jurisdiction;

    receiving, by the vehicle-based system using the input device of the vehicle, driver input identifying a second driver as the driver of the vehicle in a second jurisdiction;

    determining, by the vehicle-based system, using the global navigation satellite system of the vehicle, when the vehicle has crossed a jurisdictional border exiting the second jurisdiction;

    in response to the determination that the vehicle has exited the second jurisdiction;

    (a) determining, by the vehicle-based system, a second distance that the vehicle has traveled within the second jurisdiction;

    (b) identifying a second jurisdiction computer system associated with the second jurisdiction, wherein the second jurisdiction computer system is different from the first jurisdiction computer system; and

    (c) transmitting, by the vehicle-based system, second data including the second distance that the vehicle has traveled within the second jurisdiction and the identity of the second driver of the vehicle in the second jurisdiction, to the second jurisdiction computer system associated with the second jurisdiction;

    receiving, at the second jurisdiction computer system associated with the second jurisdiction, the second data transmitted from the vehicle indicating the second distance the vehicle has traveled within the second jurisdiction and the identity of the second driver of the vehicle in the second jurisdiction;

    calculating, by the second jurisdiction computer system, a second road use fee due to the second jurisdiction based on the identity of the second driver of the vehicle and a second road use fee schedule associated with the second jurisdiction;

    periodically transmitting, by the vehicle-based system, where the vehicle has traveled to a payment computer system, but wherein the vehicle-based system is configured not to transmit actual location data corresponding to the vehicle to the first jurisdiction or the second jurisdiction computer system;

    receiving, at the payment computer system, an indication of the first road use fee from the first jurisdiction computer system and an indication of the second road use fee from the second jurisdiction computer system;

    deducting, by the payment computer system, from a stored value account associated with at least one of the vehicle, the first driver, or the second driver, at least the first road use fee and the second road use fee; and

    transferring, by the payment computer system, the first road use fee to the first jurisdiction and the second road use fee to the second jurisdiction.

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