Enforcing payment schedules

• US 20070194881A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gordon Howard Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gordon Howard Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Macheca, Christopher, Schwarz, Stanley, Glancy, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/349,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.31
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A payment schedule enforcement system and method cause various actions to be taken in response to nonpayment by the debtor. Such actions include remotely activating an alert message, disabling a vehicle or other product, or the like. Upon occurrence of a specified event, a message is sent to a remotely located device, such as one installed in a vehicle or other product. The remotely located device is configured so that it can disable the vehicle (for example by disabling the starter circuitry) upon receipt of the message from the operations center.

Claims

1. A method for remotely disabling a product in response to an event, comprising:

detecting a trigger event; and

responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product in order to disable the product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein disabling the product comprises preventing the product from operating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein disabling the product comprises preventing a feature of the product from operating.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trigger event comprises a payment deadline.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message to a device comprises transmitting the message wirelessly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message to a device comprises transmitting the message via the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message to a device comprises transmitting the message via a power line.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the product comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

an appliance;

a computing device;

a telecommunication device;

a handheld computer; and

a personal digital assistant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted message causes the device to output a warning concerning disablement.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to an external agent.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a message from the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the received message was entered by the operator of the product associated with the device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving location information from the device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to an external agent, the message comprising the received location information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the message instructs the device to disable the product at a specified time in the event no additional messages are received by the device.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising, outputting by the device an alert to indicate disablement of the product.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the alert comprises one selected from the group consisting of a visual alert, an auditory alert, and a voice alert.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is able to receive input from a user and provide output to a user.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is able to receive voice input from a user and provide voice output to a user.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to detection of a second trigger event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product in order to re-enable the product.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second trigger event represents user entry of payment information.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the second trigger event represents user entry of payment information at a credit card reader.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the credit card reader is coupled to the product.

26. A method for remotely enabling a feature of a product in response to an event, comprising:

detecting a trigger event; and

responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product in order to enable the feature of the product.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the product comprises a vehicle, and the feature of the product is associated with an onboard device installed in the vehicle.

28. A method for enforcing a payment schedule for a product, comprising:

receiving a payment schedule;

detecting a trigger event associated with the payment schedule;

responsive to detection of the event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the trigger event comprises an impending payment deadline, and wherein the message instructs the device to output a warning.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the warning comprises an auditory warning.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the warning comprises a visual warning.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the trigger event comprises a payment deadline, and wherein the message instructs the device to disable the product.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the trigger event comprises a payment deadline, and wherein the message instructs the device to output a warning and further to disable the product after a predefined period of time if no additional message is received.

34. A method for transmitting a message to a remotely located product, comprising:

at an operations center, detecting a trigger event associated with the product;

responsive to detection of the event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product, wherein the transmitted message causes the device to perform at least one selected from the group consisting of;

disabling the product; and

outputting a message concerning operation of the product.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the message comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a warning of possible disablement;

notification of available enhancement;

notification of available upgrade;

notification of available additional product; and

instructions regarding the use of the product.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising, responsive to detection of the event, transmitting a message to an external agent concerning the trigger event for the product.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising, responsive to detection of the event:

detecting a location of the product; and

transmitting a message to an external agent concerning the trigger event for the product, the message to the external agent comprising location information for the product.

38. A method for remotely disabling a product in response to an event, comprising:

receiving, at a device coupled to the product, a message from an operations center; and

responsive to receiving the message, disabling the product.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the product comprises a vehicle.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the product comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

an appliance;

a computing device;

a telecommunication device;

a handheld computer; and

a personal digital assistant.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising, prior to disabling the product, outputting a warning concerning impending disablement.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising, responsive to receiving the message, transmitting location information to the operations center.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

receiving a second message from the operations center; and

responsive to receiving the second message, re-enabling the product.

44. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

receiving payment information; and

transmitting payment information to the operations center.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein receiving payment information comprises receiving payment information via a credit card reader.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the credit card reader is coupled to the device.

47. A computer program product for remotely disabling a product in response to an event, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

detecting a trigger event; and

responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product in order to disable the product.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the computer program code for disabling the product comprises computer program code for preventing the product from operating.

49. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the computer program code for disabling the product comprises computer program code for preventing a feature of the product from operating.

50. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the trigger event comprises a payment deadline.

51. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the transmitted message causes the device to output a warning concerning disablement.

52. The computer program product of claim 47, further comprising computer program code for, responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to an external agent.

53. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

54. A system for remotely disabling a product in response to an event, comprising:

a device coupled to the product, for disabling the product in response to receiving a message;

processing logic for detecting a trigger event; and

a messaging component, coupled to the processing logic, for responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to the device to disable the product.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the trigger event comprises a payment deadline.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the messaging component transmits the message to the device wirelessly.

57. The system of claim 54, wherein the messaging component transmits the message to the device via the Internet.

58. The system of claim 54, wherein the messaging component transmits the message to the device via a power line.

59. The system of claim 54, wherein the product comprises a vehicle.

60. The system of claim 54, wherein the product comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

an appliance;

a computing device;

a telecommunication device;

a handheld computer; and

a personal digital assistant.

61. The system of claim 54, wherein the transmitted message causes the device to output a warning concerning disablement.

62. The system of claim 54, wherein the messaging component further transmits a message to an external agent.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

64. The system of claim 54, wherein the messaging component further receives location information from the device.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the messaging component further transmits a message to an external agent, the message comprising the received location information.

66. The system of claim 54, further comprising:

a payment component installed at the product, for receiving payment information; and

a second messaging component, installed at the product, for transmitting payment information to the processing logic.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein the payment component comprises a credit card reader.