TAXI PAYMENT SYSTEM

• US 20140244410A1
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Curb Mobility, LLC (Verifone Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verifone, Inc. (Verifone Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Altman, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,818,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/02 Details; Accessories

Abstract

A taxi payment system including a point of sale device and a mounting assembly for mounting the point of sale device inside a taxi, the mounting assembly having at least two operative orientations, a first operative orientation in which the point of sale device is accessible to a taxi passenger and a second operative orientation in which the point of sale device is accessible to a taxi driver.

Claims

1. A taxi payment system comprising:

a point of sale device; and

a mounting assembly for mounting said point of sale device inside a taxi, said mounting assembly having at least two operative orientations, a first operative orientation in which said point of sale device is accessible to a taxi passenger and a second operative orientation in which said point of sale device is accessible to a taxi driver.

2. A taxi payment system according to claim 1 and wherein said mounting assembly includes a base element including a pivot plate portion defining a generally vertical pivot axis.

3. A taxi payment system according to claim 2 and also comprising a point of sale mounting element including a pivot plate engaging portion arranged to pivot relative to said pivot plate portion about said vertical pivot axis.

4. A taxi payment system according to claim 3 and wherein said point of sale mounting element is pivotable about said vertical pivot axis through an angular range extending beyond 90 degrees.

5. A taxi payment system according to claim 1 and wherein said mounting assembly also includes a retaining element operative to retain said mounting assembly in either of said at least two operative orientations in the absence of the application of a rotation force thereto by either a taxi driver or a taxi passenger.

6. A taxi payment system according to claim 5 and wherein said retaining element is arranged for removable engagement with a selectable one of two apertures formed in said pivot plate portion, thereby to removably retain said mounting assembly in a corresponding selectable one of said at least two operative orientations.

7. A taxi payment system according to claim 1 and wherein said retaining element comprises an over-center spring arrangement including a tension spring having a first end thereof mounted on a first portion of said mounting assembly and a second end thereof mounted on a second portion of said mounting assembly, which second end is rotatable relative to said first portion.

8. A taxi payment system according to claim 1 and wherein said mounting assembly includes a headrest post mounting portion for mounting onto headrest posts of a vehicle passenger seat.

9. A taxi payment system according to claim 8 and wherein said headrest post mounting portion comprises an elongate element having apertures extending therethrough for accommodating said headrest posts.

10. A taxi payment system according to claim 9 and wherein said elongate element comprises a pair of side cut-outs communicating with said apertures, thereby enabling side mounting of said elongate element onto said headrest posts without requiring removal of a headrest attached thereto.

11. A taxi payment system according to claim 2 and wherein said mounting assembly also includes a retaining element operative to retain said mounting assembly in either of said at least two operative orientations in the absence of the application of a rotation force thereto by either a taxi driver or a taxi passenger.

12. A taxi payment system according to claim 3 and wherein said mounting assembly also includes a retaining element operative to retain said mounting assembly in either of said at least two operative orientations in the absence of the application of a rotation force thereto by either a taxi driver or a taxi passenger.

13. A taxi payment system according to claim 4 and wherein said mounting assembly also includes a retaining element operative to retain said mounting assembly in either of said at least two operative orientations in the absence of the application of a rotation force thereto by either a taxi driver or a taxi passenger.

14. A taxi payment system according to claim 2 and wherein said retaining element comprises an over-center spring arrangement including a tension spring having a first end thereof mounted on a first portion of said mounting assembly and a second end thereof mounted on a second portion of said mounting assembly, which second end is rotatable relative to said first portion.

15. A taxi payment system according to claim 3 and wherein said retaining element comprises an over-center spring arrangement including a tension spring having a first end thereof mounted on a first portion of said mounting assembly and a second end thereof mounted on a second portion of said mounting assembly, which second end is rotatable relative to said first portion.

16. A taxi payment system according to claim 4 and wherein said retaining element comprises an over-center spring arrangement including a tension spring having a first end thereof mounted on a first portion of said mounting assembly and a second end thereof mounted on a second portion of said mounting assembly, which second end is rotatable relative to said first portion.

17. A taxi payment system according to claim 2 and wherein said mounting assembly includes a headrest post mounting portion for mounting onto headrest posts of a vehicle passenger seat.

18. A taxi payment system according to claim 3 and wherein said mounting assembly includes a headrest post mounting portion for mounting onto headrest posts of a vehicle passenger seat.

19. A taxi payment system according to claim 4 and wherein said mounting assembly includes a headrest post mounting portion for mounting onto headrest posts of a vehicle passenger seat.

20. A taxi payment system according to claim 5 and wherein said mounting assembly includes a headrest post mounting portion for mounting onto headrest posts of a vehicle passenger seat.