Payment of Highway Tolls via a Mobile Telecommunications Network

• US 20100287037A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rice, Christopher W., Murray, John F., Jana, Rittwik
• Granted Patent: US 9,109,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home

Abstract

Disclosed are method and apparatus for processing of highway toll payments by a mobile telecommunications service provider. A mobile telecommunications device communicates with a mobile telecommunications service provider. The mobile telecommunications service provider receives a request to calculate a route to a destination. The mobile telecommunications service provider determines the location of the mobile telecommunications device from a global navigation satellite system or from a mobile telecommunications network and calculates a route. The mobile telecommunications service provider then identifies toll booths along the calculated route. The mobile telecommunications service provider pre-pays the tolls. The mobile telecommunications service provider sends turn-by-turn instructions to the mobile telecommunications device and tracks the location of the mobile telecommunications device and records the date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through a toll booth.

Claims

1. A method for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a starting location of a mobile telecommunications device, the starting location determined by at least one of;

a global navigation satellite system; and

a mobile telecommunications network;

receiving a destination;

calculating a route from the starting location to the destination; and

identifying at least one toll booth along the route.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

pre-paying at least one toll based at least in part on the identified at least one toll booth.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

calculating turn-by-turn instructions based at least in part on the calculated route.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

sending the turn-by-turn instructions to the mobile telecommunications device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

tracking the location of the mobile telecommunications device by at least one of;

the global navigation satellite system; and

the mobile telecommunications network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

recording the date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through a specific toll booth.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

receiving a message from the mobile telecommunications device by a microcell transceiver, wherein the microcell transceiver is;

integrated into the mobile telecommunications network; and

located in the vicinity of the specific toll booth.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the mobile telecommunications device is transported on a vehicle identified by a license plate with a license plate number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile telecommunications device is a Global Positioning System phone.

10. An apparatus for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a starting location of a mobile telecommunications device, the starting location determined by at least one of;

a global navigation satellite system; and

a mobile telecommunications network;

means for receiving a destination;

means for calculating a route from the starting location to the destination; and

means for identifying at least one toll booth along the route.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for pre-paying at least one toll based at least in part on the identified at least one toll booth.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for calculating turn-by-turn instructions based at least in part on the calculated route.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for sending the turn-by-turn instructions to the mobile telecommunications device.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for tracking the location of the mobile telecommunications device by at least one of;

the global navigation satellite system; and

the mobile telecommunications network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for recording the date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through a specific toll booth.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a message from the mobile telecommunications device by a microcell transceiver, wherein the microcell transceiver is;

integrated into the mobile telecommunications network; and

located in the vicinity of the specific toll booth.

17. A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider, the computer program instructions defining the steps of:

receiving a starting location of a mobile telecommunications device, the starting location determined by at least one of;

a global navigation satellite system; and

a mobile telecommunications network;

receiving a destination;

calculating a route from the starting location to the destination; and

identifying at least one toll booth along the route.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program instructions for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider further comprise computer program instructions defining the step of:

pre-paying at least one toll based at least in part on the identified at least one toll booth.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program instructions for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider further comprise computer program instructions defining the step of:

calculating turn-by-turn instructions based at least in part on the calculated route.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of calculating turn-by-turn instructions further comprise computer program instructions defining the step of:

sending the turn-by-turn instructions to the mobile telecommunications device.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program instructions for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider further comprise computer program instructions defining the step of:

tracking the location of the mobile telecommunications device by at least one of;

the global navigation satellite system; and

the mobile telecommunications network.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of tracking the location of the mobile telecommunications device further comprise computer program instructions defining the step of:

recording the date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through a specific toll booth.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer program instructions defining the step of recording the date and time further comprise computer program instructions defining the step of:

receiving a message from the mobile telecommunications device by a microcell transceiver, wherein the microcell transceiver is;

integrated into the mobile telecommunications network; and

located in the vicinity of the specific toll booth.