Electronic toll collection system and method for rental and leased vehicles

• US 20040083130A1
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arthur Posner, Roslyn S. Posner
• Original Assignee: Arthur Posner, Roslyn S. Posner
• Inventors: Posner, Arthur, Posner, Roslyn S.
• Application Number:
  US10/677,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083130A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00

Abstract

An electronic toll collection system and method for rental vehicles used with known electronic and computerized toll collection systems. The steps of the overall method include registering a rental vehicle that is part of an electronic toll collection system, clearing and resetting the electronic toll collection system upon receipt of a rental vehicle, driving the rental vehicle and accumulating electronic toll collection data and returning the rental vehicle and paying a fee based on the accumulated electronic toll collection data.

Claims

1. An electronic toll collection system for rental vehicles, each with a front windshield, comprising:

a plurality of electronic tags, with a single electronic tag installed on each of the rental vehicles;

a plurality of toll plazas, each toll plaza having a transceiver which transmits and receive signals from the plurality of electronic tags and a display sign to convey information to the rental vehicles;

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic tag contains an electronic chip that is installed on the front windshield of the rental vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the transceivers utilize an antenna.

4. An electronic toll collection method for rental vehicles, comprising the following steps:

registering a rental vehicle that is part of an electronic toll collection system;

clearing and resetting said electronic toll collection system upon receipt of a rental vehicle;

driving the rental vehicle and accumulating electronic toll collection data; and

returning said rental vehicle and paying a fee based on the accumulated electronic toll collection data.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said electronic toll collection data includes the time and date that tolls were encountered and the cost of tolls encountered.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the cost of the tolls encountered is deducted from a prepaid account.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prepaid account has funds automatically added once it reaches $10.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein important usage information is provided on how to safely use the electronic toll collection system.