Cellular mobile radiotelephone-based system for rental of mobile equipment
First Claim
1. A system for generating written documents for the rental of equipment having a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) with a keypad and having a card reader coupled to said CMR, said CMR being coupled to a communications network, and said system comprising:
- a transient use processor (TUP) coupled to said CMR and to said card reader, said TUP being programmed to;
(a) obtain identification information from a programmed card read by said card reader,(b) obtain a first set of contract parameters entered from said keypad, and(c) cause said CMR to transmit, through said communications network, said identification information and said first set of contract parameters;
a printing device coupled to said communications network;
a memory device configured to include a personal profile database; and
a system administration computer (SAC), coupled to said communications network and in data communication with said memory device, said SAC being programmed to;
(a) send, through said communications network to said CMR, voice prompts intended to request specific ones of said first set of contract parameters,(b) receive said identification information and said first set of contract parameters from said communications network,(c) obtain, from said personal profile database, a second set of contract parameters, and(d) send, to said printing device, said first and second sets of contract parameters for printing a written contract form at said printing device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system utilizing a cellular mobile radiotelephone and the public switching telecommunication network (PSTN) for entering into rental agreements and for accruing and billing the resulting rental charges associated with the rental of equipment, such as automobiles. The automobiles to be rented incorporate credit-card-activated, intelligent, cellular mobile radiotelephones. Upon entry into the automobile, a customer slides a card through a card reader included therein. The card reader transfers data encoded on the card to the radiotelephone whereupon the radio telephone establishes, via the PSTN, a communications link with a processor. In response to processor-originated voice prompts that the radiotelephone conveys to the customer, the customer then uses a keypad of the radiotelephone to enter data necessary to compose the rental agreement. Based on this data, as well as a renter profile included in a database accessible by the processor, the processor causes a rental agreement form to be printed at a location near the automobile. The customer then needs only to sign the completed written contract form at the exit location in order to drive away with the rental automobile. Upon return of the automobile, the customer enters a predetermined return code, which results in another call to the processor. Again, in response to processor-originated voice prompts, the customer enters data on the radiotelephone keypad in order to calculate rental charges. These charges are then automatically debited to an account indicated by the customer, and a written receipt is presented to the customer.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A system for generating written documents for the rental of equipment having a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) with a keypad and having a card reader coupled to said CMR, said CMR being coupled to a communications network, and said system comprising:
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a transient use processor (TUP) coupled to said CMR and to said card reader, said TUP being programmed to; (a) obtain identification information from a programmed card read by said card reader, (b) obtain a first set of contract parameters entered from said keypad, and (c) cause said CMR to transmit, through said communications network, said identification information and said first set of contract parameters; a printing device coupled to said communications network; a memory device configured to include a personal profile database; and a system administration computer (SAC), coupled to said communications network and in data communication with said memory device, said SAC being programmed to; (a) send, through said communications network to said CMR, voice prompts intended to request specific ones of said first set of contract parameters, (b) receive said identification information and said first set of contract parameters from said communications network, (c) obtain, from said personal profile database, a second set of contract parameters, and (d) send, to said printing device, said first and second sets of contract parameters for printing a written contract form at said printing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of generating a written contract form for rental of equipment having a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) coupled to a card reader, said method comprising the steps of:
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reading, at said card reader, a card programmed to contain identification information; sending, from said CMR to a communications network, a predetermined telephone number which is associated with a system administration computer (SAC); transferring said identification information from said CMR, through said communications network, to said SAC; obtaining, at said SAC, a first set of contract parameters from a personal profile database by using said identification information as an index into said personal profile database; transmitting from said CMR to said SAC a second set of contract parameters; sending said first and second sets of contract parameters from said SAC to a printing device located proximate said equipment; and printing said contract form for rental of said equipment at said printing device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of generating a written receipt of a completed contract for rental of equipment having a cellular mobile radiotelephone (CMR) associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting entry of a check-in equipment event; sending, from said CMR to a switching network after said detecting step, a predetermined telephone number which is associated with a system administration computer (SAC); transferring identification information from said CMR, through said switching network, to said SAC; transmitting, from said CMR to said SAC, concluding contract parameters that finalize charges for rental of said equipment; calculating, at said SAC using said concluding contract parameters, charges due for rental of said equipment; sending data which identify said rental charges from said SAC to a printing device located proximate said equipment; and printing said rental charge data in said written receipt for rental of said equipment at said printing device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of generating a rental contract for rental of equipment having a credit-card-activated cellular mobile radiotelephone (credit-card CMR) associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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reading, at said credit-card CMR, a card programmed to contain identification information; sending, from said credit-card CMR to a switching network, a predetermined telephone number which is associated with a system administration computer (SAC); transferring said identification information from said credit-card CMR, through said switching network, to said SAC; obtaining, at said SAC, a first set of contract parameters from a personal profile database by using said identification information as an index into said personal profile database; transmitting from said credit-card CMR to said SAC a second set of contract parameters; composing a rental contract; and printing said rental contract at a printing device located proximate said equipment. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of accruing charges under a rental contract for rental of equipment having a credit-card-activated cellular mobile radiotelephone (credit-card CMR) associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting an equipment check-in event; sending, from said credit-card CMR to a communications network after said detecting step, a predetermined telephone number which is associated with a system administration computer (SAC); transferring identification information from said credit-card CMR, through said communications network, to said SAC; transmitting, from said credit-card CMR to said SAC, concluding contract parameters that finalize charges for rental of said equipment; and calculating charges due for rental of said equipment. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A system for composing written documents pertaining to the temporary use of equipment that is associated with a card-activated cellular-mobile radiotelephone (CMR), the system comprising:
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(a) a card-activated CMR comprising; (i) a cellular transceiver, (ii) a keypad coupled to the cellular transceiver, (iii) a transient use processor (TUP) coupled to the cellular transceiver, and (iv) a card reader coupled through the TUP to the cellular transceiver; (b) a system administration computer (SAC) operable to be selectively coupled to the card-activated CMR for exchanging between the SAC and the card-activated CMR information used in processing a record of the temporary use of the equipment associated with the CMR; (c) a printing device operable to be selectively coupled to the SAC; and (d) a personal profile database accessible by the SAC. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification