VARIABLE-RATE TRANSPORT FEES BASED ON HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS
First Claim
1. A method for reducing vehicular traffic hazards under an adverse weather condition, comprising:
- a) monitoring weather patterns;
b) assessing if a given weather condition may present a potential danger to vehicular traffic in a given vehicle use area; and
c) determining whether an adjustment in a vehicle use fee will serve to discourage the operation of vehicles in the operation area of the adverse weather condition.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are responsive to actual or anticipated weather changes that are likely to have an adverse effect on roadway driving conditions in a given vehicle use area. Based on the anticipated severity of the weather condition, transport-related road and/or parking tolls and fees are increased in order to discourage unnecessary vehicle travel. Using a communication system such as a transponder network, changes in the tolls and fees can be transmitted to toll collection agencies, public parking facilities and other governmental and private enterprises responsible for the collection of vehicle transport fees. Rate change information and details of weather changes can also be transmitted to vehicles likely to be affected by the adverse condition and the consequent change in these fees.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for reducing vehicular traffic hazards under an adverse weather condition, comprising:
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a) monitoring weather patterns; b) assessing if a given weather condition may present a potential danger to vehicular traffic in a given vehicle use area; and c) determining whether an adjustment in a vehicle use fee will serve to discourage the operation of vehicles in the operation area of the adverse weather condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 10)
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6. A system for reducing vehicular traffic hazards under adverse weather conditions, comprising:
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a) a weather pattern monitor; b) an assessor for determining if a weather pattern may present a potential danger to vehicular traffic in a given vehicle use area; and c) a vehicle use fee adjustment analysis to determine if a fee adjustment will serve to discourage the operation of vehicles in the operation area. - View Dependent Claims (7, 9)
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8. The system according to claim 8 wherein an adjustment of the vehicle use fee based upon the determination is made by an agency responsible for imposing vehicle use fees in the vehicle use area.
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11. In a computer system, a computer program, comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and a computer executable program code stored on the readable medium, the program code deployed by the system to; a) monitor weather pattern information in a given vehicle use area; b) assess if a given weather pattern may present a potential danger to vehicular traffic in said given vehicle use area; and c) determine whether an adjustment in a vehicle use fee will serve to discourage the operation of vehicles in said vehicle use area. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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producing computer executable program code; storing the code on a computer readable medium; and providing the program code to be deployed and executed on a computer system;
wherein the program code comprises instructions which, when executed on the computer system, cause the computer system to;a) monitor weather patterns within a vehicle use area; b) assess if a given weather pattern may present a potential danger to vehicular traffic in the area; and c) determine whether an adjustment in a vehicle use fee will serve to discourage the operation of vehicles in the area of the adverse weather condition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of providing a service of regulating vehicle traffic control in a given vehicle use area based on actual or potential adverse weather conditions, comprising:
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a) monitoring weather patterns within said vehicle use area; b) assessing if a given weather pattern may present a potential danger to vehicular traffic in said area; and c) determining whether an adjustment in a vehicle use fee will serve to discourage the operation of vehicles in the area of the adverse weather condition. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification