Smart sign mobile transit fare payment

• US 8,376,227 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ayman Hammad, Philip Dixon
• Original Assignee: Ayman Hammad, Philip Dixon
• Inventors: Hammad, Ayman, Dixon, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, THIEN T
• Application Number:
  US13/351,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/384, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• 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: 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 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the payment and collection of transit system fares using a mobile device utilizes a smart sign including near field communication (NFC) devices that communicate with a contactless element embedded within a mobile wireless device. Each NFC device is associated with a different transit location. The NFC devices may be included on the same smart sign located at one transit location or on different smart signs located at different transit locations. Alternatively, one NFC device may be included on a smart sign at a departure location and another NFC device may be activated when or after the user enters the transit system to provide proof of fare purchase. The mobile device is positioned proximate the NFC devices to activate the NFC devices and access fare and/or schedule information or purchase a fare.

Claims

1. A method of providing a mobile device with data, the method comprising:

receiving a first activation signal from the mobile device at a first device, wherein the first device is associated with a first location;

receiving a second activation signal from the mobile device at a second device, wherein the second device is associated with a second location;

receiving information identifying the first location and information identifying the second location from the mobile device via a wireless network; and

providing the mobile device with the data via the wireless network, the data being dependent on the first location and the second location;

wherein the first device and the second device are included in a smart sign, the first device being associated with the first location as depicted on the smart sign and the second device being associated with the second location as depicted on the smart sign, and

wherein the first location is a first transit location and the second location is a second transit location, and further, wherein the data is transit data associated with transport between the first transit location and the second transit location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of a type of transit data to be provided to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transit data is a payment value amount corresponding to a transit fare for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising deducting the payment value amount from a consumer account associated with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transit data is schedule information associated with travel between the first transit location and the second transit location.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the schedule information is one or more of a departure time at which transport is initiated between the first transit location and the second transit location and an amount of time for transport between the first transit location and the second transit location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first activation signal is received from the mobile device at the first device using a short range communications method.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the short range communications method is a near field communications (NFC) technology.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the short range communications method is one of the group consisting of RFID, Bluetooth, or infra-red communications methods.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the transit data to be stored within a contactless element contained in the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the contactless element includes a dynamically configurable memory.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transit location is either a train station or a bus stop and the second transit location is either a train station or a bus stop.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a payment value amount corresponding to a transit fare for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location, wherein the payment value amount is calculated based on the received information identifying the first transit location and information identifying the second transit location; and

deducting the calculated payment value amount from a consumer account associated with the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising deducting a payment value amount corresponding to a transit fare for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location from a consumer account associated with the mobile device, wherein the transit data is a fare payment credential that indicates that the payment value amount has been paid for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deducting a payment value amount corresponding to a transit fare for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location from a consumer account associated with the mobile device;

receiving a fare payment credential from the mobile device via the wireless network, the credential indicating that the payment value amount has been paid for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location; and

providing the fare payment credential to a provider of a transit service for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the transit data is provided to the mobile device from the smart sign using a short range communications method instead of via the wireless network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the short range communications method is a near field communications (NFC) technology.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the short range communications method is one of the group consisting of RFID, Bluetooth, or infra-red communications methods.

5. A method of providing a mobile device with data, the method comprising:

receiving a first activation signal from the mobile device at a first device, wherein the first device is associated with a first location;

receiving a second activation signal from the mobile device at a second device, wherein the second device is associated with a second location;

receiving information identifying the first location and information identifying the second location from the mobile device via a wireless network; and

providing the mobile device with the data via the wireless network, the data being dependent on the first location and the second location;

wherein the first device and the second device are included in a smart sign, the first device being associated with the first location as depicted on the smart sign and the second device being associated with the second location as depicted on the smart sign, and

wherein the method further comprises enabling a user of the mobile device to access a transit system that provides transport from the first location to the second location.

20. A system for providing a mobile device with data, the mobile device capable of communication and data exchange using a short range communications method, the system comprising:

a first device associated with a first location;

a second device associated with a second location;

a processor configured to execute a process to receive information identifying the first location and information identifying the second location from the mobile device via a wireless network and in response to generate data dependent on the first location and the second location; and

a communication module coupled to the processor, the communication module configured to provide the mobile device with the generated data via the wireless network,

wherein the first device and the second device are included in a smart sign, the first device being associated with the first location as depicted on the smart sign and the second device being associated with the second location as depicted on the smart sign, and further, wherein the data is generated in response to communication between the mobile device and the smart sign using the short range communications method, and

wherein the first location is a first transit location and the second location is a second transit location, and further, wherein the generated data is transit data associated with transport between the first transit location and the second transit location.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the transit data is a payment value amount corresponding to a transit fare for travel between the first transit location and the second transit location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to execute a process to deduct the payment amount from a consumer account associated with the mobile device.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the transit data enables a user of the mobile device to access a transit system that provides transport from the first transit location to the second transit location.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the transit data is schedule information associated with travel between the first transit location and the second transit location.

25. The system of claim 20, further comprising a contactless element contained in the mobile device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the contactless element includes a dynamically configurable memory.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the short range communications method is a near field communications (NFC) technology.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the short range communications method is one of the group consisting of RFID, Bluetooth, or infra-red communications methods.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the data is provided to the mobile device from the smart sign using the short range communications method instead of via the wireless network.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the short range communications method is a near field communications (NFC) technology.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the short range communications method is one of the group consisting of RFID, Bluetooth, or infra-red communications methods.

32. The system of claim 20, wherein the first transit location is either a train station or a bus stop and the second transit location is either a train station or a bus stop.