Systems and methods for vehicle lifecycle management

• US 8,738,472 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OPENLANE, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OPENLANE, Inc.
• Inventors: Hallowell, Zachary Emerson, Hammond, Clarence Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): OBAID, FATEH M
• Application Number:
  US11/685,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,633 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A computerized system for vehicle management and purchase. The system may include a database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles. The system may also include a computer interface that provides access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles; an option on the user interface to search; an option on the user interface to indicate intent to purchase a vehicle; a computer interface that receives information regarding a vehicle returned; and a computer interface to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle. Also described are an Internet-based system including a web server; a method for vehicle management and purchase; and a vehicle management and purchase system.

Claims

1. A computerized system for vehicle management and purchase comprising:

a database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in active contractual arrangements wherein third parties that include at least one of vehicle renters, vehicle lessees and vehicle owners are currently using the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles and a description of the vehicles;

a user interface that provides access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles;

an option on the user interface to search for vehicles among the set of vehicles in the database, wherein the option to search comprises maturities searching that enables the search for a vehicle based on dates on which the active contractual arrangement matures;

an option on the user interface to indicate intent to purchase a vehicle that is currently in a first arrangement where a third party uses the vehicle;

a user interface that receives information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of a second arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle, wherein the active contractual arrangements include the first arrangement and the second arrangement; and

a user interface to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the third parties comprise renters of respective vehicles, and the active contractual arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise rental agreements.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the active contractual arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise lease agreements.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the active contractual arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise finance agreements and the third parties comprise owners of the vehicles.

5. The system of claim 1, including a web server that serves web sites including the user interface that provides access to the description of the vehicle, wherein the web server is coupled to the database including the description of vehicles in the set of vehicles.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in the set of vehicles includes vehicle identification number (VIN), year, make, model, series, engine, transmission, drivetrain, and photographs of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes condition and price of respective vehicles.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes status of the active contractual arrangement associated with a vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes time remaining on the active contractual arrangement associated with a vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes payments made under the active contractual arrangement associated with a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes amount owed under the active contractual arrangement associated with a vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, including an option on a user interface to allow a user to sell a vehicle earlier than a normally scheduled time for sale of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, including a user interface to receive information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of the active contractual arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of the active contractual arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle includes vehicle location, final mileage and responses to questions asked in connection with return of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 1, including logic that generates an electronic receipt upon return of a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, including logic that offers a vehicle exclusively to a grounding location of the vehicle for a period of time.

17. The system of claim 1, including logic that offers a vehicle exclusively to an entity having the grounding location of the vehicle for a period of time and, following receipt of an indication that the entity having the grounding location of the vehicle does not want to purchase the vehicle, offers the vehicle to others for purchase over a computer network.

18. The system of claim 1, including logic that sends electronic notification to a transporter with respect to returned vehicles.

19. An Internet-based system comprising:

a web server;

a database coupled to the web server, the database including information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in active contractual arrangements wherein third parties that include at least one of vehicle renters, vehicle lessees and vehicle owners are currently using the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration of respective vehicles and a description of the vehicles;

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user providing access to the description of the vehicles in the database and provides for setting price of respective vehicles;

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user providing an option to search and search logic that allows for searching for vehicles among the set of vehicles in the database, wherein the option to search comprises maturities searching that enables the search for a vehicle based on dates on which the active contractual arrangement matures;

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user that prompts for information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle, wherein the active contractual arrangements include the arrangement; and

logic in the web server that serves a web page to a remotely located user to facilitate a purchase of the returned vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the active contractual arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise rental agreements, lease agreements, and finance agreements.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes information regarding time remaining on the active contractual arrangement associated with a vehicle.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes status of payments under the active contractual arrangement associated with a vehicle.

23. A method for vehicle management and purchase comprising:

electronically maintaining information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles, wherein a plurality of the vehicles in the set of vehicles are in active contractual arrangements wherein third parties that include at least one of vehicle renters, vehicle lessees and vehicle owners are currently using the vehicles, wherein the information includes configuration, condition, and price of respective vehicles;

electronically searching for vehicles among the set of vehicles, wherein the searching comprises maturities searching that enables the search for vehicles based on dates on which the active contractual arrangements mature, and displaying search results, the search results including,

at least some vehicles not yet returned, and

information regarding status of the active contractual arrangements with the respective third party;

electronically receiving information regarding a vehicle returned upon conclusion of an arrangement wherein a third party used the vehicle, wherein the active contractual arrangements include the arrangement; and

facilitating a purchase of the returned vehicle through an electronic interface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the active contractual arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise rental agreements, and the status of the active contractual arrangement with the respective third party includes status of payment of the rental agreement.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the active contractual arrangements wherein third parties use the vehicles comprise lease agreements, and the status of the active contractual arrangement with the respective third party includes an indication of time remaining in term of a respective lease of the respective vehicle.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the information regarding vehicles in a set of vehicles includes status of payments made for the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 23, automatically providing an electronic request for transport of a returned vehicle.

28. The method of claim 23, including offering a vehicle exclusively to an entity having the grounding location of the vehicle for a period of time and, following receipt of an indication that the entity having the grounding location of the vehicle does not want to purchase the vehicle, offering the vehicle to others over a computer network for purchase.