Providing toll services utilizing a cellular device

• US 20070285280A1
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rent-A-Toll Limited
• Original Assignee: Rent-A-Toll Limited
• Inventors: Robinson, Benjamin P., Balachandran, Sarath K.
• Application Number:
  US11/810,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20070285280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/928
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence

Abstract

A method, system, and computer readable medium comprising, communicating between a cellular carrier and the cellular device, wherein the communicating includes at least one of a following information: an identifier of the cellular device, transport data, a time stamp, a toll location, and a location of the cellular device, determining by the cellular carrier if the cellular device location is within a toll collection subscribed area, if the cellular device location is within the toll collection subscribed area, sending the information by the cellular carrier to a toll service provider, receiving toll usage data by the toll service provider from a toll authority, and paying the toll authority an amount related to the toll usage by the toll service provider based on the information and the data.

Claims

1. A method for toll collection using a cellular device, comprising:

communicating between a cellular carrier and the cellular device, wherein the communicating includes at least one of a following information;

an identifier of the cellular device, a time stamp, a toll location, and a location of the cellular device;

determining by the cellular carrier if the cellular device location is within a toll collection subscribed area;

if the cellular device location is within the toll collection subscribed area, sending the information by the cellular carrier to a toll service provider;

receiving toll usage data by the toll service provider from a toll authority; and

paying the toll authority an amount related to the toll usage by the toll service provider based on the information and the data.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising charging the cellular carrier the amount by the toll service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the charging includes the amount and at least one of:

a service charge, a transaction fee, a subscription fee, a location fee, a static fee, and a dynamic fee.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising matching the information and the data prior to paying the amount.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising storing the information and the data.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising sending transport information from the toll service provider to the toll authority.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising associating the cellular device with the transport, wherein the associating is based on at least one of:

period, time, and location.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transport information includes at least one of:

license plate information for the transport, wherein the transport is at least one of an owned transports, and a rented transport;

a make of the transport;

a model of the transport;

a color of the transport;

a year of manufacturer of the transport;

an owner of the transport; and

a driver of the transport.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein if the cellular device location is not within the toll collection subscribed area, sending a subscription notification by the cellular carrier to the cellular device.

10. The method of claim 9 comprising accepting the subscription notification by the cellular device, wherein the accepted subscription notification includes information about a transport associated with a user of the cellular device.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising sending the accepted subscription notification by the cellular carrier to the toll authority via the toll rental entity.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising paying the toll authority a toll usage amount of the transport by the toll service provider based on the accepted subscription notification.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising charging the cellular carrier, by the toll service provider, at least one of:

the amount;

a service charge;

a transaction fee;

a subscription fee;

a location fee;

a static fee;

a dynamic fee; and

a toll service amount.

14. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for:

determining by a cellular carrier if a cellular device location is within a toll collection subscribed area by communicating between the cellular carrier and the cellular device, wherein the communicating includes at least one of a following information;

an identifier of the cellular device, a time stamp, a toll location, a location of the cellular device, and transport data, wherein the transport is associated with the cellular device;

sending at least one of the information by the cellular carrier to a toll service provider; and

paying a toll authority an amount related to toll usage by the toll service provider based on the information and the data.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 comprising instructions for sending the information to the toll authority by the toll service provider.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14 comprising instructions for matching the information by the toll authority based on the toll usage.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14 comprising instructions for paying the toll authority an amount related to a toll service between the toll service provider and the toll authority.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14 comprising instructions for billing, by the toll service provider, at least one of the following:

the cellular carrier;

the toll authority;

an owner of the cellular device;

a user of the cellular device;

an owner of the transport; and

a user of the transport.

19. A system, comprising:

a module that;

receives transaction information from a cellular carrier;

sends the transaction information to a toll authority;

receives toll usage information from the toll authority;

matches the toll usage information with a transport associated with a cellular device that communicates via the cellular carrier; and

pays the toll authority based on the matches.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the module collects vehicle information and toll service activation information from the cellular device.