Toll road toll paying method and apparatus using a portable terminal, and a storage medium thereof

• US 7,742,941 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erb; Nathan
• Application Number:
  US10/114,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,002 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3265 characterised by personalisation for use
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/363 with the personal data of a user
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A particular application is invoked in a cellular phone (an arbitrary one of a plurality of cellular phones if they exist) of a person who is riding in an automobile prior to the passage of a gate at an entry/exit of a toll road. The cellular phone in which the application is invoked transmits a particular signal (a signal including the information expressing the intention to use the turnpike) different from a normal cellular phone signal when passing through a gate. Data of the particular signal is transferred to a server via the gate. Information about the user, information about the gate at the entry/exit, etc. are recorded, and a turnpike (toll road) toll is charged based on these information. The turnpike toll can be split and paid by a plurality of persons. A user and a split toll payer must be persons who are pre-registered to the server.

Claims

1. A method of splitting a toll for traveling on a toll road, the method comprising:

receiving, by a gate on the toll road, a plurality of use notification signals transmitted from a plurality of respective cellular phones, each cellular phone belonging to a different respective split toll payer inside of the same automobile traveling on the toll road, wherein each of the plurality of use notification signals includes an automobile identifier that identifies the automobile, a respective payment ratio of the respective split toll payer which specifies a respective portion of the toll for traveling on the toll road which is to be paid by the respective split toll payer, and a respective phone number of the respective cellular phone;

communicating, by the gate, the automobile identifier, the respective payment ratios, and the respective phone numbers to a computer;

matching, by the computer, the automobile identifier to an identifier of a user, using stored information;

transmitting, by the computer, an e-mail to the user notifying the user of one of the respective payment ratios; and

determining, by the computer, that the user has accepted or rejected the one of the respective payment ratios.

2. A system for splitting a toll, the toll being for traveling on a toll road, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to perform a method comprising;

receiving, from a gate on the toll road, an automobile identifier, a plurality of payment ratios, and a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the gate received the automobile identifier, the plurality of payment ratios, and the plurality of phone numbers via a plurality of use notification signals transmitted from a plurality of respective cellular phones, each cellular phone belonging to a different respective split toll payer inside of the same automobile traveling on the toll road, wherein each of the plurality of use notification signals included;

the automobile identifier, which identifies the automobile;

a respective payment ratio of the plurality of payment ratios, the respective payment ratio corresponding to the respective split toll payer and specifying a respective portion of the toll for traveling on the toll road which is to be paid by the respective split toll payer; and

a respective phone number of the plurality of phone numbers, the respective phone number being of the respective cellular phone;

matching the automobile identifier to an identifier of a user, using stored information;

transmitting an e-mail to the user notifying the user of one of the respective payment ratios; and

determining that the user has accepted or rejected the one of the respective payment ratios.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform a method of splitting a toll for traveling on a toll road, the method comprising:

receiving, from a gate on the toll road, an automobile identifier, a plurality of payment ratios, and a plurality of phone numbers, wherein the gate received the automobile identifier, the plurality of payment ratios, and the plurality of phone numbers via a plurality of use notification signals transmitted from a plurality of respective cellular phones, each cellular phone belonging to a different respective split toll payer inside of the same automobile traveling on the toll road, wherein each of the plurality of use notification signals included;

the automobile identifier, which identifies the automobile;

a respective payment ratio of the plurality of payment ratios, the respective payment ratio corresponding to the respective split toll payer and specifying a respective portion of the toll for traveling on the toll road which is to be paid by the respective split toll payer; and

a respective phone number of the plurality of phone numbers, the respective phone number being of the respective cellular phone;

matching the automobile identifier to an identifier of a user, using stored information;

transmitting an e-mail to the user notifying the user of one of the respective payment ratios; and

determining that the user has accepted or rejected the one of the respective payment ratios.