Systems and Methods for Vehicle Lifecycle Management

• US 20080140543A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OPENLANE, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OPENLANE, Inc.
• Inventors: Hallowell, Zachary Emerson, Hammond, Clarence Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A computerized system for vehicle management and purchase. The system may include a database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles. The system may also include a computer interface that provides access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles; an option on the user interface to search; an option on the user interface to indicate intent to purchase a vehicle; a computer interface that receives information regarding a vehicle returned; and a computer interface to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle. Also described are an Internet-based system including a web server; a method for vehicle management and purchase; and a vehicle management and purchase system.

Claims

1. A computerized system for vehicle management and purchase comprising:

a database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles;

a computer interface that provides access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles;

an option on the user interface to search and search logic that allows for searching for vehicles among the set of vehicles in the database;

an option on the user interface to indicate intent to purchase a vehicle that is currently in an arrangement where a third party uses the vehicle;

a computer interface that receives information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle; and

a computer interface to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the third parties comprise renters of respective vehicles, and the arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise rental agreements.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise lease agreements.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise finance agreements and the third parties comprise owners of the vehicles.

5. The system of claim 1, including a web server that serves web sites including the computer interface that provides access to the description of the vehicle, wherein the web server is coupled to the database including the description of vehicles in the set of vehicles.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in the set of vehicles includes:

vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make, model, series, engine, transmission, drivetrain, and photographs of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes:

condition and price of respective vehicles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes status of a contract associated with a vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes time remaining on a contract associated with a vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes payments made on a contract associated with a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes amount owed on a contract associated with a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, including an option on a user interface to allow a user to sell a vehicle earlier than a normally scheduled time for sale of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, including a computer interface to receive information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle includes:

vehicle location, final mileage and responses to questions asked in connection with return of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 1, including logic that generates an electronic receipt upon return of a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, including logic that offers a vehicle exclusively to a grounding location of the vehicle for a period of time.

17. The system of claim 1, including logic that offers a vehicle exclusively to an entity having the grounding location of the vehicle for a period of time and, following receipt of an indication that the entity having the grounding location of the vehicle does not want to purchase the vehicle, offers the vehicle to others for purchase over a computer network.

18. The system of claim 1, including logic that sends electronic notification to a transporter with respect to returned vehicles.

19. An Internet-based system comprising:

a web server;

a database coupled to the web server, the database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles;

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user providing access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles;

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user providing an option to search and search logic that allows for searching for vehicles among the set of vehicles in the database;

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user that prompts for information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle; and

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise rental agreements, lease agreements, and finance agreements.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes information regarding maturity of a contract associated with a vehicle.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes status of payments on a contract associated with a vehicle.

23. A method for vehicle management and purchase comprising:

electronically maintaining information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration, condition, and price of respective vehicles;

electronically searching for vehicles among the set of vehicles, and displaying search results, the search results including

at least some vehicles not yet returned, and

information regarding status of the arrangement with the respective third party;

electronically receiving information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle; and

facilitating a purchase of the returned vehicle through an electronic interface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise rental agreements, and the status of the arrangement with the respective third party includes status of payment of the rental agreement

25. The method of claim 23, wherein arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise lease agreements, and the status of the arrangement with the respective third party includes an indication of time remaining in term of a respective lease of the respective vehicle.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes status of payments made for the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 23, automatically providing an electronic request for transport of a returned vehicle.

28. The method of claim 23, including offering a vehicle exclusively to an entity having the grounding location of the vehicle for a period of time and, following receipt of an indication that the entity having the grounding location of the vehicle does not want to purchase the vehicle, offering the vehicle to others over a computer network for purchase.

29. A vehicle management and purchase system comprising:

means for electronically maintaining information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration, condition, and price of respective vehicles;

means for electronically searching for vehicles among the set of vehicles, and displaying search results, the search results including

at least some vehicles not yet returned, and

information regarding status of the arrangement with the respective third party;

means for electronically receiving information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle; and

means for facilitating a purchase of the returned vehicle through an electronic interface.