Mobile Device-Enhanced User Selection of Specific Rental Vehicles for a Rental Vehicle Reservation

• US 20170039489A1
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Published: 02/09/2017
• 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: Reh, E. Paul, Harmon, Michele Muscarella, Connors, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,899,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A method comprising:

permitting a customer with a rental vehicle reservation to select a specific rental vehicle for pickup in response to input from the customer via a mobile computing device associated with the customer.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to (1) access rental vehicle reservation data for a customer in response to input from a remote computer, (2) determine a rental vehicle class and a rental vehicle pickup location based on the accessed rental vehicle reservation data, (3) generate a list of specific rental vehicles within the determined rental vehicle class that are available for pickup at the rental vehicle pickup location, (4) communicate data representative of the list to the remote computer for display thereon, (5) receive further input from the remote computer indicative of a selection of a specific rental vehicle from the list, and (6) place a hold on the specific rental vehicle corresponding to the received selection to permit a pickup by the customer of the specific rental vehicle corresponding to the received selection.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device configured to (1) receive data from a remote rental vehicle reservation computer system, the received data being indicative of a plurality of specific rental vehicles available for pickup by a customer in accordance with a rental vehicle reservation of the customer, (2) generate a graphical user interface (GUI) screen for display to the customer, the GUI being configured to present a list of the available specific rental vehicles, (3) receive a selection of a specific rental vehicle from the list from the customer through the GUI screen, and (4) communicate the selection to the remote rental vehicle reservation computer system.