TOLL PAYMENT COLLECTION WITH COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20160012648A1
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neoride Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aetolls, LLC
• Inventors: Fustes, Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 10,679,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/08 Payment architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

Implementations include actions of receiving an image of a vehicle using a toll road facility, processing the image to determine a vehicle identifier, and determining that the vehicle identifier is provided in a database, the database associating vehicle identifiers to respective device identifiers, and in response: determining a device identifier associated with the vehicle identifier from the database, transmitting a first message to a device associated with the device identifier, the first message including a request for approval to collect a toll payment, and receiving a second message from the device, the second message indicating approval of the toll payment, and in response: transmitting a payment request to a service provider, the service provider providing data transfer services for the device, and receiving the toll payment from the service provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more processors for collecting toll fee for use of a toll road facility, the method comprising:

receiving a first image of a first vehicle using the toll road facility;

processing, by the one or more processors, the first image to determine a first vehicle identifier; and

determining that the first vehicle identifier is provided in a first database, the first database associating vehicle identifiers to respective device identifiers, and in response;

determining a first device identifier associated with the first vehicle identifier from the first database,

transmitting a first message to a first device associated with the first device identifier, the first message comprising a request for approval to collect a first toll payment, and

receiving a second message from the first device, the second message indicating approval of the first toll payment, and in response;

transmitting a first payment request to a first service provider, the first service provider providing data transfer services for the first device, and

receiving the first toll payment from the first service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a text message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the text message is one of a short message service (SMS) message and a multimedia message service (MMS) message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first service provider is a communications service provider (CSP).

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising executing a registration protocol to register the first device identifier and the first vehicle identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the registration protocol comprises:

receiving the first vehicle identifier from the user;

receiving the first device identifier from the user; and

determining that the first service provider is provided in a service provider database, and in response, registering the first device identifier and the first vehicle identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a second image of the first vehicle, the second image being processed to determine the first vehicle identifier.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a second image of the first vehicle in a message from the first device, the message comprising the first device identifier.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting a third message to the first device, the third message comprising a request for confirming the first vehicle identifier; and

receiving a fourth message from the first device, the fourth message indicating confirmation of the first vehicle identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal indicating that a second vehicle using the toll road facility is equipped with an identification device, the identification device associated with a balance account; and

determining that the identification device is valid, and in response;

collecting a second toll payment from the balance account.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second signal, the second signal indicating a second vehicle using the toll road facility is not equipped with a valid identification device;

receiving a second image, the second image depicting the second vehicle; and

processing the second image to determine a second vehicle identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that the second vehicle identifier is provided in the first database, and in response;

determining a second device identifier associated with the second vehicle identifier from the first database,

transmitting a third message to a second device associated with the second device identifier, the third message comprising a request for approval to collect a second toll payment, and

receiving a fourth message from the second device, the fourth message indicating disapproval of the second toll payment, and in response;

receiving information associated with a registered owner of the second vehicle associated with the second vehicle identifier, and

sending the owner an invoice.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a fifth message from a second device of the owner, the fifth message indicating a registration request; and

associating the second vehicle identifier with a second device identifier of the second device in the first database.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the first vehicle using the toll road facility.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first toll payment includes a plurality of unpaid toll fees.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is associated with an account by the first service provider, the account being a prepaid and refillable account.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)