Devices, Systems and Methods for Identifying and/or Billing an Individual in a Vehicle

• US 20130030882A1
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McNamara, Justin Michael Anthony, Rector, Jay Daryl, Davis, III, John Potts
• Granted Patent: US 9,576,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for identifying a driver versus a passenger within a smart vehicle. This involves a determination of the relative positions of the wireless communication devices within the smart vehicle using near-field communication (NFC) or GPS, AGPS, etc. The wireless communication device detected closest to the driver seat is assumed to be the device owned by the driver. Once identified, the driver can be billed for tolls and other road services, based on the location of the smart vehicle. For instance, as the smart vehicle approaches a toll, a notification can be sent to all of the wireless communication devices. A response from a particular wireless communication device will result in the corresponding user'"'"'s account being billed for the toll. Further, the smart vehicle can communicate with near-field transceivers placed, for instance, alongside a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. A driver of the vehicle can be billed, fined, or ticketed based upon a determination of an absence of passengers in the smart vehicle.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a smart vehicle including at least a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing computer-executable instructions that are executed by the processor to perform operations including;

retrieving a first unique identifier from a first wireless communication device and a second unique identifier from a second wireless communication device, both first and second wireless communication devices being within a proximity of the smart vehicle,

receiving a signal from an antenna coupled to the smart vehicle, the antenna being positioned significantly closer to a driver seat than a passenger seat, the signal including a unique identifier of the wireless communication device closest to the antenna, the unique identifier corresponding to a user account of a driver of the vehicle,

determining, based on the received signal, which of the first and second unique identifiers matches the unique identifier in the signal,

determining a location of the smart vehicle, and

transmitting unique identifier in the signal and the location to a billing server across a network;

wherein the billing server associates the unique identifier with the user account of the driver of the vehicle, and bills the user account an amount based on the location of the smart vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the location includes any one of a lane on a highway, a toll booth, or a geo-fence.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an NFC transceiver in the location, the NFC transceiver being in communication with the smart vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of wireless communication devices in communication with the smart vehicle, the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first and second wireless communication devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a billing notification is received at the first wireless communication device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising one of a biometric sensor or a weight scale in the smart vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second wireless communication devices are contactless smart cards.

8. A method, comprising:

utilizing a smart vehicle including at least one processor for receiving a first unique identifier from a first wireless communication device and a second unique identifier from a second wireless communication device, both first and second wireless communication devices being within a proximity of the smart vehicle, each unique identifier associated with a corresponding user account;

utilizing the processor for determining that the first wireless communication device is associated with a driver user account of a driver of the smart vehicle based on a signal received from an antenna coupled to the smart vehicle and positioned significantly closer to a driver seat than a passenger seat;

utilizing the processor for determining the location of the smart vehicle; and

utilizing the processor for transmitting the first unique identifier and the location to a billing server on a network;

wherein the billing server associates the unique identifier with the user account of the driver of the vehicle, and bills the driver user account an amount based on the location of the smart vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the location includes one of a lane on a highway, a toll booth, or a geo-fence.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the location further comprises querying an NFC transceiver in communication with the processor.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the signal received from the antenna includes the first unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting a billing notification to the first wireless communication device; and

receiving a billing confirmation from the first wireless communication device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a number of passengers in the smart vehicle; and

billing the driver user account based on the number of passengers in the smart vehicle

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising billing the driver user account based on a speed of the vehicle.

15. A computer-readable medium for storing logical instructions that are executed by a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first unique identifier from a first wireless communication device and a second unique identifier from a second wireless communication device, both first and second wireless communication devices being within a first proximity of a smart vehicle;

determining that the first wireless communication device is associated with a driver user account of a driver of the smart vehicle based on a signal received from an antenna coupled to the smart vehicle and positioned significantly closer to a driver seat than a passenger seat;

determining the location of the smart vehicle by querying a near- field communication transceiver within a second proximity of the smart vehicle; and

transmitting the first unique identifier and the location to a billing server on a network;

wherein the billing server associates the unique identifier with the driver user account, and bills the driver user account an amount based on the location of the smart vehicle.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the location includes any one of a lane on a highway, a toll booth, and a geo-fence.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising receiving a plurality of unique identifiers from a corresponding plurality of wireless communication devices, the plurality of wireless communication devices including the first and second wireless communication devices.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the processor further performs operations including determining a number of passengers in the smart vehicle based in part on the plurality of unique identifiers.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the processor further performs operations including determining a number of passengers in the smart vehicle based in part on a plurality of biometric sensors coupled to the smart vehicle.

20. The computer-readable of claim 19, wherein the plurality of biometric sensors includes a weight scale coupled to a seat in the smart vehicle.