Vehicle rental system and method
First Claim
1. A system for facilitating a vehicle rental and providing a rental customer with a key device for access to a vehicle comprising:
- a customer interface device (CID);
a key safe located proximate to the CID containing one or more key devices;
a vehicle available for rental located proximate to the CID;
a remotely located customer service representative apparatus (CSR apparatus);
the CID including a customer data input device configured to receive data from the rental customer and a transmission device configured to transmit customer data to the remotely located CSR apparatus,the remotely located CSR apparatus including a receiver device configured to receive said customer data transmission, an output device configured to present said customer data to a remotely located customer service representative (CSR), a CSR data input device configured to receive data from the remotely located CSR, and a transmission device configured to transmit CSR data to the CID, andthe CID further including a receiver device configured to receive said CSR data transmission, an output device configured to present said CSR data to the rental customer, andthe key safe configured to provide the customer with a key device for access to the subject vehicle.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are provided for facilitating a remote live vehicle rental transaction between a customer service representative (CSR) and a customer and providing a vehicle key device to the customer without the need for a CSR at the site of the key or vehicle, where the vehicle may be in an unsecured lot. In particular, the system includes a customer interface device (CID), a remotely located CSR apparatus for facilitating live communications between the customer and CSR, and a key safe. The key safe includes a code input device for recognizing a code provided by the CID, the code input device configured to unlock a locker containing the vehicle key device when the code is recognized. Alternatively, the CID dispenses an electronic key card or provides the customer with an electronic signal device or two-dimensional image (such as a bar code) to enter and/or operate a rental vehicle, or a central system automatically remotely unlocks the vehicle when the rental agreement is formed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating a vehicle rental and providing a rental customer with a key device for access to a vehicle comprising:
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a customer interface device (CID); a key safe located proximate to the CID containing one or more key devices; a vehicle available for rental located proximate to the CID; a remotely located customer service representative apparatus (CSR apparatus); the CID including a customer data input device configured to receive data from the rental customer and a transmission device configured to transmit customer data to the remotely located CSR apparatus, the remotely located CSR apparatus including a receiver device configured to receive said customer data transmission, an output device configured to present said customer data to a remotely located customer service representative (CSR), a CSR data input device configured to receive data from the remotely located CSR, and a transmission device configured to transmit CSR data to the CID, and the CID further including a receiver device configured to receive said CSR data transmission, an output device configured to present said CSR data to the rental customer, and the key safe configured to provide the customer with a key device for access to the subject vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
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7. The system of claim 0, wherein said key safe code image further comprises an alphanumeric code and said key safe scanner further comprises an alphanumeric code input device, the input device configured to unlock the locker when the rental customer manually enters the alphanumeric code into the input device.
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9. The system of claim 0, wherein said key safe further comprises a display device prompting the rental customer to press a button of the input device indicating a return process to automatically unlock the available locker.
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11. A system for facilitating a vehicle rental and providing a rental customer with a key device for access to a vehicle comprising:
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a customer interface device (CID); a locked vehicle available for rental located proximate to the CID; and a remotely located customer service representative (CSR) apparatus; the CID including a customer data input device configured to receive data from the rental customer and a transmission device configured to transmit said customer data to the remotely located CSR apparatus, the remotely located CSR apparatus including a receiver device configured to receive said customer data transmission, an output device configured to present said customer data to a remotely located CSR, a CSR data input device configured to receive data from the remotely located CSR, and a transmission device configured to transmit said CSR data to the CID, the CID further including a receiver device configured to receive said CSR data transmission, an output device configured to present said CSR data to the rental customer, and a key device dispensing device configured to dispense a key device configured to unlock said vehicle, and the remotely located CSR apparatus configured to receive instructions from the remotely located CSR to dispense the key device and to transmit said instructions to the CID to initiate dispensing of the key card. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of renting a vehicle and providing a rental customer with access to the vehicle via a customer interface device (CID) remotely located from a customer service representative (CSR) comprising:
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the CSR using a CSR apparatus to transmit data to the customer through the CID and to receive data from the customer through the CID; the CSR entering instructions into an input device of the CSR apparatus to instruct the CID to print and dispense a key safe code image; a transmission device of the CSR apparatus transmitting the instructions to a receiver device of the CID; a printer of the CID printing the key safe code image onto a substrate and dispensing the substrate with the key safe code image printed theren; a scanner of a key safe located proximate to the CID reading the key safe code image placed proximate to the scanner, and a locked locker of the key safe, containing a key device to the vehicle, unlocking when the scanner detects the key safe code image, to make the key device available to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of renting a vehicle and providing a rental customer with a key device for access to the vehicle via a customer CID remotely located from a customer service representative (CSR) comprising:
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the CSR using the CSR apparatus to transmit data to the customer through the CID and to receive data from the customer through the CID; the CSR entering instructions into an input device of the CSR apparatus to instruct the CID to print and dispense an alphanumeric key safe code; a transmission device of the CSR apparatus transmitting the instructions to a receiver device of the CID to initiate printing of the key safe code onto a substrate by a printer of the CID and dispensing of the substrate with the key safe code printed thereon; and a locked locker of a key safe located proximate to the CID unlocking when the key safe code is received by an input device of the key safe, the locker containing a key device to the vehicle, to make the key device available to the customer.
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20. A method of renting a vehicle and providing a rental customer with a key device for access to the vehicle via a customer CID remotely located from a customer service representative (CSR) comprising:
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the CSR using the CSR apparatus to transmit data to the customer through the CID and to receive data from by the customer through the CID; the CSR entering instructions into an input device of the CSR apparatus to instruct the CID to print and dispense a vehicle rental contract; a transmission device of the CSR apparatus transmitting the instructions to a receiver device of the CID to initiate printing of the contract by a printer of the CID and dispensing of the contract; and an on-site agent providing a key device for the vehicle to the customer upon receipt of the contract.
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21. A method of renting a vehicle and providing a rental customer with a key card for access to the vehicle via a customer interface device (CID) remotely located from a customer service representative (CSR) comprising:
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the CSR using the CSR apparatus to transmit data to the customer through the CID and to receive data from the customer through the CID; the CSR entering instructions into an input device of the CSR apparatus to instruct the CID to dispense a key card configured to unlock the vehicle; a transmission device of the CSR apparatus transmitting the instructions to a receiver device of the CID to initiate dispensing of the key card from a card dispensing device of the CID; and a device of the vehicle detecting the key card to provide the customer access to the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification