System and method to attribute, reconcile and account for automated vehicle identification charges irrespective of vehicle ownership
First Claim
1. A method to attribute, reconcile and account for automated vehicle identification charges arising from a vehicle'"'"'s usage, irrespective of said vehicle'"'"'s ownership comprising:
- (a) acquiring multiple automated vehicle identification tags containing encoded identification data from an automated vehicle identification tag issuance authority;
(b) physically associating each acquired tag with a specific fleet vehicle;
(c) digitally recording information identifying said physically associated tag and fleet vehicle;
(d) machine-reading said tag'"'"'s encoded information while a vehicle is in movement past an automated vehicle identification tag monitoring location;
(e) acquiring and storing said machine-read data which has been communicated to said host reconciliation and accounting entity from at least one tag monitoring location;
(f) acquiring and storing daily vehicle activity records which have been communicated to said host reconciliation and accounting entity from at least one multiple vehicle leasing entity;
(g) reconciling said acquired daily activity records and said machine-read data;
(h) communicating at least one credit charge billing statement resulting from said reconciliation and accounting entity to a credit charge acceptance entity; and
(i) receiving payment related to said communicated billing statement.
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Abstract
The invention is directed towards a system and business process which provides for reconciliation and accounting services necessary to support automated vehicle identification (AVI) tag utilization irrespective of vehicle owner. A plurality of AVI'"'"'s, alternatively referred to as “Toll Tags” are acquired and such tags are registered with a centralized reconciliation and accounting entity. The acquired tags are then physically affixed to a motor vehicle within a multiple vehicle entity'"'"'s fleet. The invention digitally acquires and combines charges attributed to tag usage, with information relating to transient drivers utilizing the fleet'"'"'s vehicles who have incurred charges during a period of vehicle utilization. The instant invention then provides via its integrated software processes a reconciliation methodology by which applicable charges are created in the form of a bill which can be submitted or billed as credit charges to, and recovered from, responsible parties with fees and rebates attendant thereto rendered to selected entities.
102 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method to attribute, reconcile and account for automated vehicle identification charges arising from a vehicle'"'"'s usage, irrespective of said vehicle'"'"'s ownership comprising:
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(a) acquiring multiple automated vehicle identification tags containing encoded identification data from an automated vehicle identification tag issuance authority;
(b) physically associating each acquired tag with a specific fleet vehicle;
(c) digitally recording information identifying said physically associated tag and fleet vehicle;
(d) machine-reading said tag'"'"'s encoded information while a vehicle is in movement past an automated vehicle identification tag monitoring location;
(e) acquiring and storing said machine-read data which has been communicated to said host reconciliation and accounting entity from at least one tag monitoring location;
(f) acquiring and storing daily vehicle activity records which have been communicated to said host reconciliation and accounting entity from at least one multiple vehicle leasing entity;
(g) reconciling said acquired daily activity records and said machine-read data;
(h) communicating at least one credit charge billing statement resulting from said reconciliation and accounting entity to a credit charge acceptance entity; and
(i) receiving payment related to said communicated billing statement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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18. A system to attribute, reconcile and account for automated vehicle identification charges arising from a vehicle'"'"'s usage, irrespective of said vehicle'"'"'s ownership based upon specified user criteria comprising:
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at least one general purpose reconciliation computer comprising a central processing unit and at least one video display unit and at least one input device communicably attached to said central processing unit, said video display and input device configured to facilitate user interaction with said central processing unit;
at least one toll charge general purpose computer communicably attached to said reconciliation computer;
at least one credit charge acceptance general purpose computer communicably attached to said reconciliation computer;
at least one multiple fleet vehicle general purpose computer communicably attached to said reconciliation computer;
at least one reconciliation process database in communication with said reconciliation computer, video display and input device, said database permitting said user to interactively specify said criteria;
reconciliation software means which executes and adapts said reconciliation computer to analyze data within said database based upon said criteria specified by the user via said video display and input devices, said software execution yielding credit charge billing information;
multiple fleet software means which adapts said multiple fleet computer to communicate fleet vehicle and tag information to said reconciliation computer;
toll charge software means which adapts said toll charge computer to communicate machine read data to said reconciliation computer;
a computer compatible network communication means capable of facilitating bi-directional transmission of digitized information between at least two general purpose computers of said system.
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Specification