ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION AND RENTAL VEHICLES

• US 20080270226A1
• Filed: 08/01/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert J. Archibald
• Original Assignee: Robert J. Archibald
• Inventors: Archibald, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US11/832,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of calculating a usage fee for the use of electronic toll collection in a rental vehicle includes collecting customer information concerning customer'"'"'s renting of one or more rental vehicles, collecting toll use information concerning the use of electronic toll collection at a tollgate, calculating a usage fee based upon the customer information and the toll use information, and displaying the usage fee.

Claims

1. A method of calculating a usage fee for the use of electronic toll collection in a rental vehicle, comprising:

collecting customer information concerning customer'"'"'s renting of one or more rental vehicles;

collecting toll use information concerning the use of electronic toll collection at a tollgate;

calculating a usage fee based upon the customer information and the toll use information; and

displaying the usage fee.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of collecting customer information includes collecting at least one of a rental identification, an invoice number, a contract number, a unique vehicle identification, a vehicle identification number, a vehicle tag number, an electronic toll device number, a rental location, a rental date, a rental time, a rental length, a return date, and a return location.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of collecting toll use information includes collecting at least one of a posting date, a transaction date, a vehicle tag number, an electronic toll device number, a company name, a tollgate location, an entry tollgate, an entry date, an entry time, an exit tollgate, an exit date, an exit time, a payment plan, a vehicle class, and an amount of toll fee.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the usage fee includes matching a date of electronic toll use, which is collected during the step of collecting toll use information, with a date of a rental period, which is collected during the step of collecting customer information.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the usage fee is based upon at least one of a fixed daily rate, a per use fee, and a fixed fee per rental.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee is fixed.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee is variable.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee or a portion of the usage fee is paid to a rental vehicle company.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the usage fee or a portion of the usage fee is requested to be paid by a rental vehicle company.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of collecting customer information includes collecting an electronic toll device number of an electronic toll device;

and

the electronic toll device is associated with one rental vehicle.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of collecting customer information includes collecting an electronic toll device number of an electronic toll device;

and

the electronic toll device is associated with a plurality of rental vehicles.

12. A computer-readable medium storing a computer executable program for implementing the method of claim 1.

13. An analyzer arranged to implement the method of claim 1.

14. A method of determining rental car toll violation information, comprising the steps of:

collecting customer information concerning a customer'"'"'s renting of one or more of a plurality of rental vehicles;

collecting toll violation information from a toll collector concerning toll violations of the plurality of rental vehicles;

determining rental car toll violation information by comparing toll violation information with the customer information; and

displaying the toll violation information.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of rental vehicles is all of the rental vehicles of a rental vehicle company.

16. A computer-readable medium storing a computer executable program for implementing the method of claim 14.

17. An analyzer arranged to implement the method of claim 14.

18. A method of determining unauthorized use of electronic toll collection in a rental vehicle information, comprising the steps of:

collecting customer information concerning customers renting of one or more of a plurality of rental vehicles;

collecting toll use information concerning toll use of the plurality of rental vehicles;

determining the unauthorized use of electronic toll collection in a rental vehicle information by comparing the toll use information with the customer information; and

displaying the unauthorized use of electronic toll collection in a rental vehicle information.

19. A computer-readable medium storing a computer executable program for implementing the method of claim 18.

20. An analyzer arranged to implement the method of claim 18.