Hire vehicle transportation system
First Claim
1. A hire vehicle transportation system comprising:
- a pool of vehicles which are available for hire;
at least one collection and return point at which the vehicles are issued and taken back;
an automatic collection and return device at each of said at least one collection and return point, for receiving and checking proof of user identity of a prospective user, issuing a driving authorization unit for a vehicle parked there in response to a positive authorization check, and receiving the driving authorization unit for vehicles returned there; and
a disposition center which has a communication link with each automatic collection and return device, for transmitting at least issuing and return times;
wherein said disposition center comprises a disposition computer which is programmed to test user authorization based on user identity data supplied to it by the automatic collection and return device, evaluate individual availability of vehicles at the at least one collection and return point taking into account vehicle-specified rental information supplied to it by the automatic collection and return device, and receive vehicle reservation requests;
wherein, to make a reservation, the disposition computer assigns a selected vehicle, which is available at a desired starting collection and return point, specifically to an authorizing identity of a reserving user until the time when the journey is to begin; and
wherein, after a successful user authorization check of an authorized user, the disposition computer outputs an instruction signal to a corresponding automatic collection and return device to issue a driving authorization unit for the vehicle reserved for the authorized user or, in the absence of a reservation, for a vehicle not yet reserved.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a hire vehicle transport system of the type in which a plurality of usable vehicles are available for hire at one or more collection and return points, and a control center performs control and monitoring functions. The collection and return points are equipped with automatic collection and return machines which issue, to authorized persons, driving authorizations for the vehicles parked at the respective collection and return point in the form of associated vehicle keys and take back again the keys of the vehicles parked there at the end of the journey. The automatic collection and return machines have a data exchange link with the control center. According to the invention, the control center is configured as a disposition center which ascertains the individual availability of vehicles at the collection and return points and makes reservations for individual vehicles using the availability analysis. At the same time, the control center can carry out spontaneous vehicle hire procedures for vehicles which have not been reserved.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A hire vehicle transportation system comprising:
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a pool of vehicles which are available for hire; at least one collection and return point at which the vehicles are issued and taken back; an automatic collection and return device at each of said at least one collection and return point, for receiving and checking proof of user identity of a prospective user, issuing a driving authorization unit for a vehicle parked there in response to a positive authorization check, and receiving the driving authorization unit for vehicles returned there; and a disposition center which has a communication link with each automatic collection and return device, for transmitting at least issuing and return times; wherein said disposition center comprises a disposition computer which is programmed to test user authorization based on user identity data supplied to it by the automatic collection and return device, evaluate individual availability of vehicles at the at least one collection and return point taking into account vehicle-specified rental information supplied to it by the automatic collection and return device, and receive vehicle reservation requests; wherein, to make a reservation, the disposition computer assigns a selected vehicle, which is available at a desired starting collection and return point, specifically to an authorizing identity of a reserving user until the time when the journey is to begin; and wherein, after a successful user authorization check of an authorized user, the disposition computer outputs an instruction signal to a corresponding automatic collection and return device to issue a driving authorization unit for the vehicle reserved for the authorized user or, in the absence of a reservation, for a vehicle not yet reserved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification