Random and deterministic travel fees
First Claim
1. A method for randomly setting a travel fee, comprising:
- observing by a processing unit a usage attribute of vehicle traffic travelling upon a toll thoroughfare;
comparing by the processing unit the observed usage attribute to a threshold;
randomly assigning by the processing unit each one of a plurality of different toll rates to each of a plurality of vehicles as a function of comparing the observed usage attribute to the threshold, each of the plurality of vehicles either travelling upon the toll thoroughfare or potentially entering the toll thoroughfare;
notifying by the processing unit an occupant of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of a one of the plurality of toll rates randomly assigned to the occupant'"'"'s vehicle; and
charging for travel by the occupant'"'"'s vehicle at the one randomly assigned toll rate.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for randomly setting a travel fee. A usage attribute of vehicle traffic travelling upon a toll thoroughfare is observed and compared to a threshold. As a function of comparing the attribute to the threshold, a plurality of different toll rates are randomly assigned to each of a plurality of vehicles, each of the vehicles either travelling upon the toll thoroughfare or potentially entering the toll thoroughfare. An occupant of a vehicle is notified of a toll rate randomly assigned, and fees or credits associated with travel by the occupant'"'"'s vehicle are charged (levied or awarded) at the randomly assigned toll rate.
42 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for randomly setting a travel fee, comprising:
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observing by a processing unit a usage attribute of vehicle traffic travelling upon a toll thoroughfare; comparing by the processing unit the observed usage attribute to a threshold; randomly assigning by the processing unit each one of a plurality of different toll rates to each of a plurality of vehicles as a function of comparing the observed usage attribute to the threshold, each of the plurality of vehicles either travelling upon the toll thoroughfare or potentially entering the toll thoroughfare; notifying by the processing unit an occupant of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of a one of the plurality of toll rates randomly assigned to the occupant'"'"'s vehicle; and charging for travel by the occupant'"'"'s vehicle at the one randomly assigned toll rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of manufacture, comprising:
a computer readable tangible storage device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the program code comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer system comprising a processing unit, cause the computer system to; observe a usage attribute of vehicle traffic travelling upon a toll thoroughfare; compare the observed usage attribute to a threshold; randomly assign each one of a plurality of different toll rates to each of a plurality of vehicles as a function of comparing the observed usage attribute to the threshold, each of the plurality of vehicles either travelling upon the toll thoroughfare or potentially entering the toll thoroughfare; notify an occupant of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of a one of the plurality of toll rates randomly assigned to the occupant'"'"'s vehicle; and cause a charge for travel levied upon the occupant'"'"'s vehicle to be determined at the one randomly assigned toll rate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A programmable device comprising:
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a processing means; a memory in communication with the processing means comprising a logic component; and a network interface in communication with the processing means and the memory; wherein the processing means is configured to; compare a usage attribute of vehicle traffic travelling upon a toll thoroughfare to a threshold; randomly assign each one of a plurality of different toll rates to each of a plurality of vehicles as a function of comparing the usage attribute to the threshold, each of the plurality of vehicles either travelling upon the toll thoroughfare or potentially entering the toll thoroughfare; notify an occupant of a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles of a one of the plurality of toll rates randomly assigned to the occupant'"'"'s vehicle; and cause a charge for travel levied upon the occupant'"'"'s vehicle to be determined at the one randomly assigned toll rate. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification