Toll Payment Equipment

• US 20160180604A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Thomas J., Biemer, Edward A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,074,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a system for making toll payments using toll payment equipment. The system may include a mobile computing device, a toll gateway, and an insurance company computing device. The mobile computing device (e.g., a phone) may be configured to communicate with the toll gateway when a vehicle carrying the mobile computing device passes through the toll gateway. The mobile computing may send a signal to the insurance company computing device to cause the insurance company computing device to pay an appropriate toll or discounted toll (if applicable). The insurance company may maintain an account for a customer from which toll payments are made. In addition, the insurance company computing device may collect information about the vehicle as it passes through the toll gateway. The insurance company computing device may use this information to determine an insurance-related value, such as an insurance premium.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first computing device associated with a first vehicle, wherein the first computing device is configured to send and receive cellular phone calls;

a toll gateway configured to;

detect the first vehicle if the first vehicle passes through the toll gateway; and

communicate with the first computing device; and

an insurance company computing device configured to;

transfer funds from an account associated with the first computing device in response to receiving, from the first computing device or the toll gateway, a signal indicating that the first vehicle passed through the toll gateway;

receive, from the first computing device or the toll gateway, drive data of the first vehicle while the first vehicle passed through the toll gateway; and

determine an insurance related value based on the drive data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device comprises a cell phone of a driver of the first vehicle and is located within the first vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the toll gateway is configured to transmit a beacon signal to detect the first computing device, and

wherein the first computing device is configured to receive the beacon signal and transmit a response signal to the toll gateway in response to receiving the beacon signal.

4. The system of claim 3,

wherein the beacon signal comprises an identifier identifying the toll gateway, and

wherein the response signal comprises an identifier identifying the first computing device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the first computing device executes a program that runs in a background of the first computing device to detect the beacon signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is further configured to:

determine whether a toll payment is owed; and

in response to determining that a toll payment is owed, transmit, to the insurance company computing device, information identifying the first computing device and information identifying the toll gateway that the first vehicle passed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is further configured to transmit, to the toll gateway, a signal indicating that a toll payment was made or will be made.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is further configured to provide a user with a message indicating that a toll payment was successfully completed.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the message comprises an audible tone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the toll gateway comprises a camera configured to take a photograph of the first vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein the insurance company computing device is further configured to:

determine whether a toll payment is successful;

select one or more advertisements based on whether the toll payment is successful; and

transmit the one or more advertisements to the first computing device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance company computing device is further configured to:

determine an amount of a toll due as a result of the first vehicle passing through the toll gateway;

identify the account associated with the first computing device;

determine whether any discount to the toll applies for the first computing device; and

determine whether there are sufficient funds in the account to cover the toll.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the insurance company computing device is further configured to:

transmit an advertisement to the first computing device in response to determining that the funds in the account are insufficient to cover the toll;

or

transfer funds from an account of an insurance company to cover the toll.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive data comprises a speed of the first vehicle as it passed through the toll gateway or tailgating information indicating whether the first vehicle was tailgating while passing through the toll gateway.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the tailgating information comprises a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle passing through the toll gateway immediately ahead of the first vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance related value comprises at least one of an insurance premium, an insurance deductible, or a drive score used in determining the insurance premium or the insurance deductible.

17. A computing device, comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate, via a network, with a mobile computing device and a toll gateway, wherein the mobile computing device is configured for use in cellular phone calls and wherein the toll gateway is configured to detect a vehicle if the vehicle passes through the toll gateway; and

at least one processor configured to;

receive, from the mobile computing device or the toll gateway via the network interface, a signal indicating that the vehicle passed through the toll gateway;

in response to receiving the signal, transmit an electronic payment for a toll associated with the toll gateway;

receive, from the mobile computing device or the toll gateway via the network interface, drive data of the vehicle while the vehicle passed through the toll gateway; and

determine an insurance related value based on the drive data.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an amount of the toll;

identify an account associated with the mobile computing device;

determine whether any discount to the toll applies for the mobile computing device; and

determine whether there are sufficient funds in the account to cover the toll.

19. A method, comprising

receiving, by a mobile computing device configured for use in cellular phone calls, a beacon signal as the mobile computing device within a vehicle passes through a toll gateway;

transmitting, to an insurance company computing device via a cellular backhaul, a signal indicating that the vehicle has passed through the toll gateway;

in response to receiving the signal, determining an account associated with the mobile computing device;

transferring funds from the account to pay a toll associated with the toll gateway;

receiving, from the mobile computing device or the toll gateway, drive data of the vehicle while the vehicle passed through the toll gateway; and

determining an insurance related value based on the drive data.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising

determining whether any discount on the toll is applicable prior to transferring the funds;

and

sending a signal to the mobile computing device indicating that the toll was paid and whether any discount was applied.