Method and Apparatus for Mobile Rental of Vehicles
First Claim
1. A method for mobile rental of vehicles, the method comprising:
- storing in a non-transitory computer database reservation information associated with a customer reservation of a rental vehicle to be dispatched from a rental pickup location at a scheduled pickup time, wherein the computer database is accessible by a rental management computer system;
with the rental management computer system;
advising the customer that a mobile device will be required to pick up the rental vehicle;
at or about the time when the customer arrives at the rental pickup location;
confirming via the mobile device that the customer is at the rental pickup location;
prompting the customer to use the mobile device to capture an image of the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license and to upload the driver'"'"'s license image to the rental management computer system, wherein the driver'"'"'s license image includes a photograph of the customer; and
prompting the customer to use the mobile device to capture a current image of the customer and to upload to the rental management computer system the customer image; and
using the uploaded driver'"'"'s license image, the uploaded customer image and the reservation information to verify the identity of the customer before approving the customer to pick up the rental vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for rental of vehicles stores reservation information for a customer reservation of a rental vehicle, including a scheduled pickup time and pickup location for the rental vehicle. The system receives information from the customer'"'"'s a mobile device, including image information and location information. When the customer arrives at the rental pickup location, the system prompts the customer to use the mobile device to capture and upload an image of the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license, a current image of the customer, and location information for confirming that the customer image was captured at the rental pickup location. The system displays the uploaded driver'"'"'s license image, the uploaded customer image and the stored reservation information to an operator to verify the identity of the customer before the customer is approved to pick up the rental vehicle.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for mobile rental of vehicles, the method comprising:
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storing in a non-transitory computer database reservation information associated with a customer reservation of a rental vehicle to be dispatched from a rental pickup location at a scheduled pickup time, wherein the computer database is accessible by a rental management computer system; with the rental management computer system; advising the customer that a mobile device will be required to pick up the rental vehicle; at or about the time when the customer arrives at the rental pickup location; confirming via the mobile device that the customer is at the rental pickup location; prompting the customer to use the mobile device to capture an image of the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license and to upload the driver'"'"'s license image to the rental management computer system, wherein the driver'"'"'s license image includes a photograph of the customer; and prompting the customer to use the mobile device to capture a current image of the customer and to upload to the rental management computer system the customer image; and using the uploaded driver'"'"'s license image, the uploaded customer image and the reservation information to verify the identity of the customer before approving the customer to pick up the rental vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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3. The method of claim I wherein the step of confirming that the customer is at the rental pickup location comprises using location information associated with the uploaded current image of the customer to confirm that the uploaded customer image was captured at the rental pickup location.
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14. A rental management computer system for mobile rental of vehicles, the system comprising:
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a database operative to store reservation information associated with a customer reservation of a rental vehicle, wherein the reservation information includes a scheduled pickup time and pickup location for the rental vehicle; an input component operative to receive information from a mobile device used by the customer, including image information and location information; and a processor in communication with the database and the input component and operative to; advise the customer that a mobile device will be required to pick up the rental vehicle; at or about the time when the customer arrives at the rental pickup location; confirm via the mobile device that the customer is at the rental pickup location; prompt the customer to use the mobile device to capture an image of the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license and to upload to the rental management computer system the driver'"'"'s license image, wherein the driver'"'"'s license image includes a photograph of the customer; and prompt the customer to use the mobile device to capture a current image of the customer and to upload to the rental management computer system the customer image; and an output component operative with the processor to display the uploaded driver'"'"'s license image, the uploaded customer image and the stored reservation information to an operator to verify the identity of the customer before the customer is approved to pick up the rental vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification