Method for the Computer Aided Management of Vehicles
First Claim
1. A method for computer aided management of vehicles, each vehicle being equipped with a keyless access and start system and a telematic unit that transmits predefined data, the method comprising the acts of:
- receiving, in a computer system, registration information for a vehicle, provided by an owner, for use as a rental vehicle by one or more persons;
receiving, in the computer system via a first interface, information including;
persons, approved by the owner of the vehicle, for a temporary use of the vehicle;
a price model, specified by the owner, for the temporary use of the vehicle; and
an operating area, defined by the owner, the operating area encompassing one or more demarcated areas in which the vehicle is to be parked by an approved person after ending the temporary use of the vehicle;
receiving, in the computer system, trip related data from the telematic unit of the vehicle when an approved person is operating the vehicle;
determining, in the computer system, a billable amount for the temporary use of the vehicle as a function of the trip related data and the price model for a predefined period of time for the approved person using the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An owned vehicle for use is registered at a management unit of a computer system as a rental vehicle. A first interface of the computer system that is accessible through registration, captures persons, approved by the vehicle owner, for a temporary use of the vehicle; a price model, specified by the owner, for the temporary use of the vehicle; and an operating area, defined by the owner. The operating area encompasses one or more demarcated areas, in which the vehicle may be parked by an approved person after the end of the temporary use. When an approved person is operating the vehicle, a data acquisition unit of the computer system receives telematically vehicle trip related data. An accounting unit determines, as a function of the vehicle trip related data and the price model for a predefined time for the respective approved person, an amount to be billed.
47 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for computer aided management of vehicles, each vehicle being equipped with a keyless access and start system and a telematic unit that transmits predefined data, the method comprising the acts of:
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receiving, in a computer system, registration information for a vehicle, provided by an owner, for use as a rental vehicle by one or more persons; receiving, in the computer system via a first interface, information including; persons, approved by the owner of the vehicle, for a temporary use of the vehicle; a price model, specified by the owner, for the temporary use of the vehicle; and an operating area, defined by the owner, the operating area encompassing one or more demarcated areas in which the vehicle is to be parked by an approved person after ending the temporary use of the vehicle; receiving, in the computer system, trip related data from the telematic unit of the vehicle when an approved person is operating the vehicle; determining, in the computer system, a billable amount for the temporary use of the vehicle as a function of the trip related data and the price model for a predefined period of time for the approved person using the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer product, comprising:
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a computer readable medium loaded directly into an internal memory of a computer system, the computer readable medium comprising program code sections that; receive, in the computer system, registration information for a vehicle, provided by an owner, for use as a rental vehicle by one or more persons; receive, in the computer system via a first interface, information including; persons, approved by the owner of the vehicle, for a temporary use of the vehicle; a price model, specified by the owner, for the temporary use of the vehicle; and an operating area, defined by the owner, the operating area encompassing one or more demarcated areas in which the vehicle is to be parked by an approved person after ending the temporary use of the vehicle; receive, in the computer system, trip related data from the telematic unit of the vehicle when an approved person is operating the vehicle; and determine, in the computer system, a billable amount for the temporary use of the vehicle as a function of the trip related data and the price model for a predefined period of time for the approved person using the vehicle.
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15. A system for computer aided management of vehicles, each vehicle comprising a keyless access and start system and a telematic unit that transmits predefined data, the system comprising:
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a computer system operatively configured to receive the predefined data and to interact via a first interface; and wherein the computer system comprises; a management unit that registers a vehicle provided by an owner for use as a rental vehicle usable by one or more persons, wherein the first interface is operatively configured to capture; persons, approved by the owner of the vehicle, for a temporary use of the vehicle; a price model, specified by the owner of the vehicle, for the temporary use of the vehicle; and an operating area, defined by the owner of the vehicle, wherein the operating area encompasses one or more demarcated areas, in which the vehicle is to be parked by an approved person after an end of the temporary use of the vehicle by the approved person; a data acquisition unit operatively configured to process trip related data received over a telematic interface from the telematic unit of the vehicle when the vehicle is being operated by an approved person; and an accounting unit operatively configured to determine, as a function of the trip related data and the price model for a predefined period of time, a billable amount for the approved person that temporarily used the vehicle.
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Specification