VEHICLE TRAVEL MONITORING AND PAYMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110218896A1
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Union
• Original Assignee: Western Union
• Inventors: Owen, David A., Tonnon, Garry
• Granted Patent: US 10,580,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/027 involving a payment switch or gateway
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

The invention provides various methods and systems for collecting and allocating road use fees. The invention may include receiving funds from a party, wherein the party is responsible for operation of a vehicle. Data indicating where the vehicle has travelled may be received by a computer system. A jurisdiction may be identified where road use fees are due based on where the vehicle has travelled. Fees due to the jurisdiction may be calculated based on the jurisdiction'"'"'s road use fee schedule. The fee due for road use may be deducted from an account of the vehicle'"'"'s operator.

Claims

1. A method for collecting and allocating road use fees, comprising:

receiving, at a payment computer system, funds from a party, wherein the party is responsible for operation of a vehicle;

receiving, at the payment computer system, a stored value account identifier from the party;

allocating, by the payment computer system, at least a portion of the received funds to the stored value account linked to the stored value account identifier;

receiving, at the payment computer system, data indicating where the vehicle has travelled;

determining, by the payment computer system, a jurisdiction where road use fees are due based on where the vehicle has travelled;

calculating, by the payment computer system, fees due to the jurisdiction based on the jurisdiction'"'"'s road use fee schedule;

deducting, by the payment computer system, at least the fee due for road use from the stored value account; and

transferring, by the payment computer system, the fee to the jurisdiction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the payment computer system, the party with an option for funding the stored value account or receiving a bill for road use after the road use has occurred, wherein the option is provided before funds are allocated to the stored value account.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving, at the payment computer system, a selection from the party that indicates the party wishes to fund the stored value account, wherein the selection is received before funds are allocated to the stored value account.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fees due to the jurisdiction are at least partially based on the party'"'"'s criminal record.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicating where a vehicle has travelled is periodically transmitted to the payment computer system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data is transmitted from a global navigation satellite system located on the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the timing of the data periodically transmitted to the payment computer system is based on an increment of distance travelled.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the fee to the jurisdiction identifies that the fee is from the party or for the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fee transferred to the jurisdiction is part of a periodic bulk payment to the jurisdiction of road use fees for multiple vehicles or multiple parties.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the jurisdiction is a state.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the jurisdiction is a country.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the jurisdiction is a foreign country.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored value account is linked to the party.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored value account is linked to the vehicle.

15. A method of road tax collection, comprising:

providing, a payment computer system, wherein the payment computer system is comprised of a computer-readable storage device and a processor;

receiving, at the payment computer system, a first set of data indicating that a vehicle has travelled in a first jurisdiction;

receiving, at the payment computer system, a second set of data indicating that the vehicle has travelled in a second jurisdiction;

calculating, by the payment computer system, at least partially based on a first fee schedule of the first jurisdiction, road tax fees due to the first jurisdiction for the vehicle'"'"'s travel;

calculating, by the payment computer system, at least partially based on a second fee schedule of the second jurisdiction, road tax fees due to the second jurisdiction for the vehicle'"'"'s travel, wherein the first fee schedule and the second fee schedule are different;

notifying, by the payment computer system, a party that road tax fees are due for the vehicle'"'"'s travel in the first jurisdiction and the second jurisdiction;

receiving, at the payment computer system, a road tax fee payment from the party for the road tax fees due to the first and second jurisdictions;

distributing, by the payment computer system, a first portion of the road tax fee payment to the first jurisdiction; and

distributing, by the payment computer system, a second portion of the road tax fee payment to the second jurisdiction.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing, by the payment computer system, the party with a first option of funding a prepaid account for road taxes and a second option of post-payment of road tax fees; and

receiving, at the payment computer system, a selection indicating post-payment of road tax fees.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein payment is received from the party at an agent location linked to an entity operating the payment computer system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein payment is received at the agent location in cash.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the road tax fee payment distributed to the first jurisdiction is part of a first bulk payment for travel conducted by multiple vehicles in the first jurisdiction, and the second portion of the road tax fee payment distributed to the second jurisdiction is part of a second bulk payment for travel conducted by multiple vehicles in the second jurisdiction.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the data indicating travel has occurred in the first jurisdiction and the second jurisdiction is transmitted to the payment computer system by the vehicle, wherein the data is collected by the vehicle using a global navigation satellite system.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the data indicating travel has occurred in the first jurisdiction and the second jurisdiction is transmitted to the payment computer system by the vehicle, wherein the data is collected by the vehicle using a RFID system.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first jurisdiction is a state and the second jurisdiction is a different state.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the first jurisdiction is a country and the second jurisdiction is a jurisdiction within the country.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the first jurisdiction is a country and the second jurisdiction is a different country.

25. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a host computer including a communication system, a processor, and a storage device, wherein the computer-readable program comprises instructions for operating the host computer to process road tax fee collection transactions in accordance with the following:

receiving a first set of global navigation satellite data indicating that a vehicle has travelled in a first jurisdiction;

receiving a second set of global navigation satellite data indicating that the vehicle has travelled in a second jurisdiction;

calculating, at least partially based on the first set of global navigation satellite data and a first fee schedule of the first jurisdiction, road tax fees due to the first jurisdiction for the vehicle'"'"'s travel;

calculating, at least partially based on the second set of global navigation satellite data and a second fee schedule of the second jurisdiction, road tax fees due to the second jurisdiction for the vehicle'"'"'s travel, wherein the first fee schedule and the second fee schedule are different;

notifying a party that road tax fees are due for the vehicle'"'"'s travel in the first jurisdiction;

notifying a party that road tax fees are due for the vehicle'"'"'s travel in the second jurisdiction;

receiving a road tax fee payment from the party for the road tax fees due to the first and second jurisdictions;

distributing a first portion of the road tax fee payment to the first jurisdiction; and

distributing a second portion of the road tax fee payment to the second jurisdiction.

26. The computer-readable program of claim 25, wherein the calculation of the road tax fees due to the first jurisdiction for the vehicle'"'"'s travel is at least partially based on a characteristic of the vehicle.