Method and apparatus for driver's license analysis to support rental vehicle transactions
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for controlling rental vehicle access based on image analysis of a driver'"'"'s license, the method comprising:
- a processor interacting with control hardware in a rental vehicle to control vehicle access by a customer outside the rental vehicle, wherein the interacting step comprises;
the processor receiving image data representative of a driver'"'"'s license;
the processor analyzing the received image data to determine whether the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid;
in response to the analyzing step, the processor updating a customer record for a customer associated with the driver'"'"'s license with validity data indicative of whether the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid;
the processor receiving a request from the customer to conduct a rental transaction with respect to the rental vehicle; and
in response to the received request, the processor (1) accessing the customer record including the validity data, (2) determining that the customer is a validly licensed driver based on the accessed customer record including the validity data, and (3) communicating a rental authorization signal to the control hardware in the rental vehicle; and
in response to the authorization signal, the control hardware granting access by the customer to the rental vehicle by interacting with one or more vehicle subsystems in the rental vehicle to cause the rental vehicle to unlock a door of the rental vehicle.
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Abstract
A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, techniques are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of driver'"'"'s licenses to assess a validity for the driver'"'"'s licenses in support of various rental transactions.
562 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method for controlling rental vehicle access based on image analysis of a driver'"'"'s license, the method comprising:
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a processor interacting with control hardware in a rental vehicle to control vehicle access by a customer outside the rental vehicle, wherein the interacting step comprises; the processor receiving image data representative of a driver'"'"'s license; the processor analyzing the received image data to determine whether the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid; in response to the analyzing step, the processor updating a customer record for a customer associated with the driver'"'"'s license with validity data indicative of whether the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid; the processor receiving a request from the customer to conduct a rental transaction with respect to the rental vehicle; and in response to the received request, the processor (1) accessing the customer record including the validity data, (2) determining that the customer is a validly licensed driver based on the accessed customer record including the validity data, and (3) communicating a rental authorization signal to the control hardware in the rental vehicle; and in response to the authorization signal, the control hardware granting access by the customer to the rental vehicle by interacting with one or more vehicle subsystems in the rental vehicle to cause the rental vehicle to unlock a door of the rental vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for controlling rental vehicle access based on image analysis of a driver'"'"'s license, the method comprising:
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a processor interacting with control hardware in a rental vehicle to control vehicle access by a customer outside the rental vehicle, wherein the interacting step comprises; the processor receiving image data representative of a driver'"'"'s license; the processor determining a time indicative of when the image data was created; the processor receiving an identifier for the rental vehicle; the processor determining a time indicative of when the identifier was captured; the processor retrieving a rental vehicle reservation record; the processor comparing the determined times; the processor determining whether the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times such that, if the comparison indicates that the determined times are not within a defined time window, a determination is made that the customer is not authorized to pick up the rental vehicle; the processor analyzing the received image data to determine whether the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid; and in response to (i) the analyzing step resulting in a determination that the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid and (ii) the determining step resulting in a determination that the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times, the processor communicating a rental authorization signal to the control hardware; and in response to the authorization signal, the control hardware granting access by the customer to the rental vehicle by interacting with one or more vehicle subsystems in the rental vehicle to cause the rental vehicle to unlock a door of the rental vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for controlling rental vehicle access based on image analysis of a driver'"'"'s license, the system comprising:
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control hardware in a rental vehicle; a processor; and a memory, the memory configured to store a customer record for a customer; wherein the processor is configured to (1) receive image data representative of a driver'"'"'s license for the customer, (2) analyze the received image data to determine whether the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, (3) in response to the analysis, update the customer record with validity data indicative of whether the customer'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, (4) receive a request from the customer to conduct a rental transaction with respect to the rental vehicle, (5) in response to the received request, (i) access the customer record including the validity data, (ii) determine whether the customer is a validly licensed driver based on the accessed customer record including the validity data, and (iii) in response to a determination that the customer is a validly licensed driver, communicate a rental authorization signal to the control hardware in the rental vehicle; and wherein the control hardware is, in response to the authorization signal, configured to interact with one or more vehicle subsystems in the rental vehicle to cause the rental vehicle to unlock a door of the rental vehicle to thereby grant rental vehicle access to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system for controlling rental vehicle access based on image analysis of a driver'"'"'s license, the system comprising:
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control hardware in a rental vehicle; and a processor configured to (1) receive image data representative of a driver'"'"'s license for a customer, (2) determine a time indicative of when the image data was created, (3) receive an identifier for the rental vehicle, (4) determine a time indicative of when the identifier was captured, (5) retrieve a rental vehicle reservation record, (6) compare the determined times, (7) determine whether the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times such that, if the comparison indicates that the determined times are not within a defined time window, a determination is made that the customer is not authorized to pick up the rental vehicle, (8) analyze the received image data to determine whether the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, and (9) in response to (i) a determination that the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times and (ii) the image data analysis resulting in a determination that the driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, communicate a rental authorization signal to the control hardware in the rental vehicle; and wherein the control hardware is, in response to the authorization signal, configured to interact with one or more vehicle subsystems in the rental vehicle to cause the rental vehicle to unlock a door of the rental vehicle to thereby grant rental vehicle access to the customer. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An apparatus comprising:
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a mobile device, the mobile device including a camera, the mobile device configured to execute a mobile application, the mobile application configured to (i) present a GUI screen to a user through the mobile device, the GUI screen configured to prompt the user to capture an image of a driver'"'"'s license for the user, and (2) instruct the camera to take a photograph of the driver'"'"'s license in response to input through the GUI screen; wherein the camera is configured to capture an image of the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license in response to the instruction from the mobile application; and wherein the mobile application is further configured to (1) determine a time indicative of when the driver'"'"'s license image was captured, (2) receive an identifier for a rental vehicle, (3) determine a time indicative of when the identifier was captured, (4) retrieve a rental vehicle reservation record, (5) compare the determined times, (6) determine whether the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times such that, if the comparison indicates that the determined times are not within a defined time window, a determination is made that the customer is not authorized to pick up the rental vehicle, (7) analyze the captured image to determine whether the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, and (8) in response to (i) a determination that the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times and (ii) a determination that the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, enable the mobile device to generate and output a signal that is configured for detection by control hardware in a rental vehicle to cause the control hardware to unlock a door of the rental vehicle.
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47. A computer program product comprising:
a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of a camera-equipped mobile device and resident on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the mobile device'"'"'s processor, are configured to cause the mobile device to; present a GUI screen to a user, the GUI screen configured to prompt the user to capture an image of a driver'"'"'s license for the user; instruct the camera to take a photograph of the driver'"'"'s license in response to input through the GUI screen receive an image of the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license from the camera; determine a time indicative of when the driver'"'"'s license image was captured; receive an identifier for a rental vehicle; determine a time indicative of when the identifier was captured; retrieve a rental vehicle reservation record; compare the determined times; determine whether the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times such that, if the comparison indicates that the determined times are not within a defined time window, a determination is made that the customer is not authorized to pick up the rental vehicle; analyze the received image to determine whether the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid; in response to (i) a determination that the customer is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle based on the received identifier, the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record, and the compared times and (ii) a determination that the user'"'"'s driver'"'"'s license is deemed valid, generate and output a signal that is configured for detection by control hardware in a rental vehicle to cause the control hardware to unlock a door of the rental vehicle.
Specification