Transit payment and handset navigation integration

• US 8,255,159 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Bierbaum, Christopher J., Katzer, Robin D., Koellner, Todd N., Zhu, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US12/349,509
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 701/19, 701 23- 25, 701/27, 701/117, 701200-202, 701/207, 701/209, 701/211, 701/213, 235/382, 235/384, 235/375, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.27, 340/5.3, 340/5.32, 340/5.5, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 340/5.8, 340/12.51, 340/12.52, 340/13.26, 340/928, 340988-996, 705/13
• US Class Current: 701/466
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

A mobile electronic device is disclosed. The mobile electronic device comprises a near-field-communications receiver and an application. The near-field-communication transceiver receives identification information from at least one of a transit vehicle and a transit platform. The application, when executed on the mobile electronic device, receives a transit destination as entered into the mobile electronic device. Based on the identification information and a transit system route map, the application presents a notification on the mobile electronic device that the identification information does not agree with the transit destination.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a near-field-communication transceiver to request and receive a route map from a transit system, wherein the near-field communication transceiver is further configured to receive identification information from at least one of a transit vehicle and a transit platform

a self-location component; and

an application that, when executed on the mobile electronic device, receives a transit destination entered into the mobile device, analyzes a plurality of locations of the mobile electronic device at a succession of times provided by the self-location component to determine a direction of motion of the mobile electronic device, and presents a notification on the mobile electronic device that the route map and the direction of motion of the mobile electronic device do not agree with the transit destination wherein the application, when executed on the mobile electronic device, further receives a second transit destination entered into the mobile electronic device, based on the identification information and the route map presents a notification on the mobile electronic device that the identification information does not agree with the second transit destination, determines that a requested ticket does not agree with a route and the second transit destination, and provides an alert before an incorrect ticket is purchased.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the self-location component is a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the self-location component relies upon analyzing signal strengths associated with a plurality of base transceiver stations.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, further including a memory, wherein the route map is stored in the memory and received by the mobile electronic device from the transit system.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed on the mobile electronic device, further informs a user of an at least one transfer required to reach a destination.

6. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a media player, and a personal digital television.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the transit vehicle is one of a bus and a light rail.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, wherein the application, when executed on the mobile electronic device, further obtains the identification information by means of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag from the at least one of the transit vehicle and the transit platform.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, further including a display screen to notify a user of an incorrect transit vehicle or an incorrect transit direction.