VEHICLE RENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120191511A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: FIH (Hong Kong) Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industrial Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: LI, JIAN-HUI
• Application Number:
  US13/329,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20120191511A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A system and method for vehicle rental management generates and displays a park identification (ID) number configurable to change periodically. The method further receives a first message containing a vehicle ID number of a vehicle from a mobile phone, sends a unlock code for unlocking the vehicle to the mobile phone. The method receives a second message containing the vehicle ID number and a park ID number from the mobile phone, and sends a lock signal to the second communication module to lock the vehicle. The method receives a feedback signal for confirming that the vehicle is locked, and times between the send the unlock code step and the receive the feedback signal step.

Claims

1. A wireless communication center communicating with a first communication module located in a vehicle parking lot and a second communication module located in/on a vehicle, the first communication module generating and displaying a park identification (ID) number configurable to change periodically under the control of the wireless communication center, the wireless communication center comprising:

a center processor and a center storage system, wherein one or more programs stored in the center storage system and are executable by the center processor, the one or more programs comprising;

a first processing unit operable to receive a first message containing a vehicle ID number of the vehicle from a mobile phone, unlock the vehicle by sending a unlock code to the mobile phone, receive a feedback signal that confirms that the vehicle is locked from the second communication module, and time between the send the unlock code step and the receive the feedback signal step; and

a second processing unit operable to receive a second message containing the vehicle ID number and a park ID number of the vehicle parking lot from the mobile phone, and lock the vehicle by sending a lock signal to the second communication module, the park ID number displayed by the first communication module.

2. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first processing unit receives position signals from the second communication module, and fixes a current position of the vehicle according to the position signals.

3. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first communication module comprises a first communication control unit that receives an ID radio frequency signal from the wireless communication center via a wireless network, a first identification unit operable to generate the park ID number according to the ID radio frequency signal, and a display screen that displays the park ID number.

4. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second communication module comprises a second communication control unit that communicates with the wireless communication center via the wireless network, an electronic code lock electronically connected to the second communication control unit, and a second identification unit operable to store the vehicle ID number, and send the vehicle ID number to the wireless communication center.

5. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first processing unit sends payment information to a communication operator linked to a subscriber identification module (SIM) card of the mobile phone after the time step.

6. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 5, wherein according to the payment information, the communication operators deducts a vehicle rental fee from an account of the SIM card, and sends a deduction message to the mobile phone.

7. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second communication module further comprises an antenna, the second communication module communicates with the wireless communication center via the antenna.

8. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first communication module further comprises an antenna, the first communication module communicates with the wireless communication center via the antenna.

9. A method for vehicle rental management, the method comprising:

generating and displaying a park identification (ID) number configurable to change periodically under the control of a wireless communication center;

receiving a first message containing a vehicle ID number of a vehicle from a mobile phone, sending a unlock code for unlocking the vehicle to the mobile phone;

unlocking the vehicle;

receiving position signals from a second communication control unit located on/in the vehicle at all times;

receiving a second message containing the vehicle ID number and the park ID number from the mobile phone, and sending a lock signal to the second communication module to lock the vehicle;

receiving a feedback signal for confirming that the vehicle is locked from the second communication control unit; and

timing between the sending the unlock code step and the receiving the feedback signal step.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

sending payment information to a communication operator linked to a subscriber identification module (SIM) card of the mobile phone after the timing step.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein according to the payment information, the communication operators deducts a vehicle rental fee from an account of the SIM card, and sends a deduction message to the mobile phone.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a first communication module for generating and displaying the park identification (ID) number comprises a first communication control unit that receives an ID radio frequency signal from the wireless communication center via a wireless network, a first identification unit operable to generate the park ID number according to the ID radio frequency signal, and a display screen that displays the park ID number.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second communication module comprises a second communication control unit that communicates with the wireless communication center via the wireless network, an electronic code lock electronically connected to the second communication control unit, and a second identification unit operable to store the vehicle ID number, and send the vehicle ID number to the wireless communication center.

14. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second communication module further comprises an antenna, the second communication module communicates with the wireless communication center via the antenna.

15. The wireless communication center as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first communication module further comprises an antenna, the first communication module communicates with the wireless communication center via the antenna.