Mobile Device-Enhanced Pickups for Rental Vehicle Transactions

• US 20140278607A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Crawford Group Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: The Crawford Group Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Inventors: Stephens, Scott, Fitzgerald, Neil, Johnson, Ryan S., Smith, Dave G., Reiser, Derik
• Granted Patent: US 11,833,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/103 Near field communication [NFC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/245 where the antenna reception area plays a role
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile device, the mobile device configured to execute a mobile application, the mobile application configured to interact with the mobile device and a remote computer system to perform an automated pickup of a self-rent rental vehicle in response to user input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile application is further configured to present a graphical user interface (GUI) screen to a user through the mobile device that is configured to solicit and receive input by the user of an authorization code for activating a pre-existing rental vehicle reservation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the mobile application is further configured to (1) compare a received authorization code with a reference authorization code for the pre-existing reservation to determine whether they match, and (2) in response to a determination that the received authorization code is a match to the reference authorization code, permit the user to proceed with further steps of the automated pickup.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the mobile application is further configured to present a GUI screen to the user through the mobile device that is configured to solicit and receive input by the user of a selection of a vehicle class for the pre-existing reservation.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pre-existing reservation is a reservation for a vehicle class, and wherein the mobile application is further configured to permit the user to modify the vehicle class for the pre-existing reservation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mobile application is further configured to (1) present a GUI screen to a user through the mobile device that is configured to prompt the user to capture an image of a driver'"'"'s license for the user, and (2) capture an image of the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license in response to user input.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mobile application is further configured to (1) instruct the mobile device to wirelessly communicate the captured image to the remote computer system for processing thereby, and (2) receive data from the remote computer system that is indicative of whether the user is deemed a validly licensed driver for the pre-existing reservation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the mobile application is further configured to, in response to the received data being indicative of the user being deemed a validly licensed driver for the pre-existing reservation, enable the mobile device to generate and output a signal that is configured for detection by a sensor on a rental vehicle corresponding to the reservation.

9. A method comprising:

instructing a mobile device to wirelessly communicate an image of a driver'"'"'s license for a customer to a remote computer system;

receiving data from the remote computer system in response to the wirelessly communicated image; and

responsive to the received data, instructing the mobile computing device to communicate an output signal for sensing by a sensor on a proximate self-rent rental vehicle, the output signal configured to permit the customer to access and pick up the proximate self-rent rental vehicle; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor resident on the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the received data includes data indicating that the driver'"'"'s license was found valid by the remote computer system.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile device comprises a smart phone, the smart phone comprising a wireless input/output, and wherein the instructing step comprises the processor instructing the wireless input/output to wirelessly communicate the driver'"'"'s license image to the remote computer system.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of a mobile device and resident on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the mobile device'"'"'s processor, are configured to cause the mobile device to;

wirelessly communicate an image of a driver'"'"'s license for a customer to a remote computer system;

receive data from the remote computer system in response to the wirelessly communicated image; and

responsive to the received data, communicate an output signal for sensing by a sensor on a proximate self-rent rental vehicle, the output signal configured to permit the customer to access and pick up the proximate self-rent rental vehicle.

13. A method comprising:

receiving data indicative of a user via a mobile device of the user while the mobile device is in proximity to a rental vehicle;

based on the received data, accessing stored data about the user that is indicative of whether the user is deemed to have a valid driver'"'"'s license;

retrieving a rental vehicle reservation record;

determining whether the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device based on the accessed data and the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record; and

in response to the determining step resulting in a determination that the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device, enabling the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device for automated pickup by the user; and

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the enabling step comprises the processor sending a rental authorization message to the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device to thereby permit the customer to access and pick up the rental vehicle.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising;

the processor receiving an identifier for the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device; and

wherein the determining step further comprises the processor determining whether the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device based on the accessed data, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the received identifier.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the identifier receiving step comprises the processor receiving the identifier via the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

the processor creating a replacement rental vehicle reservation for the user;

the processor sending a message to the user'"'"'s mobile device to notify the user that the replacement rental vehicle reservation has been created; and

wherein the processor performs the receiving, accessing, retrieving, determining, and enabling steps after the sending step; and

wherein the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record comprises a rental vehicle reservation record for the created replacement rental vehicle reservation.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the message includes an activation code for the replacement rental vehicle reservation, the method further comprising:

the processor receiving a request from the user'"'"'s mobile device to activate the replacement rental vehicle reservation, the received request including an activation code;

the processor comparing the activation code from the received request with the activation code that was included in the message; and

the processor activating the replacement rental vehicle reservation in response to the comparing resulting in a match between the activation code from the received request and the activation code that was included in the message; and

the processor conditioning the enabling on the replacement rental vehicle reservation being activated.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the creating step comprises the processor creating the replacement rental vehicle reservation in response to input from a business partner of a rental vehicle service provider.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the processor is resident in a rental computer system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the processor comprises a plurality of processors.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to (1) receive data indicative of a user via a mobile device of the user while the mobile device is in proximity to a rental vehicle, (2) based on the received data, access stored data about the user that is indicative of whether the user is deemed to have a valid driver'"'"'s license, (3) retrieve a rental vehicle reservation record, (4) determine whether the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device based on the accessed data and the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and (5) in response a determination that the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device, enable the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device for automated pickup by the user.