Vehicle related services system and methodology

• US 7,188,070 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2000
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PDM Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Good Space Ltd.
• Inventors: Dar, Yair, Dar, Ofer
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Application Number:
  US09/731,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,280 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 705/12, 705/1, 705/418, 701/29, 701/35
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/127 Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/246 provided with vehicle proximity-detectors detecting hidden masses, e.g. metal detectors, G01V, e.g. G01V3/00; proximity switches per se H03K17/00; traffic control systems G08G1/00

Abstract

A vehicle-related services system and methodology employing at least one sensor automatically sensing at least one of the time during which a vehicle is not being operated and where the vehicle is located when it is not being operated and at least one data processor receiving information sensed by the sensor, indicating at least one of the time during which the vehicle is not being operated and where the vehicle is located when it is not being operated and providing a billing data output in respect of a vehicle-related service which is dependent on at least one of the time during which the vehicle is not being operated and where the vehicle is located when it is not being operated.

Claims

1. A vehicle-related services system comprising:

at least one sensor on board a vehicle and automatically sensing the time during which said vehicle is being operated;

at least one communicator on board said vehicle providing an output indicating the time during which said vehicle is being operated;

at least one data processor receiving a communication from said at least one communicator, indicating the time during which said vehicle, is being operated and providing a billing data output in respect of a vehicle-related service which is dependent on the time during which said vehicle is being operated and is not dependent on any other input received from a vehicle-mounted sensor; and

at least one intermediate storage and communication unit operative to receive said output from said communicator when a vehicle in which said communicator is located is at one of a plurality of predetermined locations, said at least one intermediate storage and communication unit being operative to retransmit said output to said data processor.

2. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein said intermediate storage and communication unit is located at a vehicle fueling station.

3. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein said communicator communicates with said at least one data processor at least partially not in real time.

4. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein said time during which said vehicle is being operated comprises at least one of:

the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and

the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.

5. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein at least one of said at least one intermediate storage and communication units is operative to receive said output data from a plurality of said communicators on board a corresponding plurality of said vehicles and to communicate said output in at least one composite message to said data processor.

6. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one sensor is not connected to an electical system of said vehicle.

7. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one data processor comprises a vehicle fee payment data processor.

8. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 1 and wherein said at least one data processor comprises a vehicle insurance billing data processor.

9. A vehicle-related services system comprising:

a sensor on board a vehicle and automatically sensing only the time during which said vehicle is being operated;

at least one communicator on board said vehicle providing an output indicating the time during which said vehicle is being operated;

at least one data processor receiving a communication from said at least one communicator, indicating the time during which said vehicle is being operated and providing a billing data output in respect of a vehicle-related service which is dependent on the time during which said vehicle is being operated; and

at least one intermediate storage and communication unit operative to receive said output from said communicator when a vehicle in which said communicator is located is at one of a plurality of predetermined locations, said at least one intermediate storage and communication unit being operative to retransmit said output to said data processor.

10. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 9 and wherein said intermediate storage and communication unit is located at a vehicle fueling station.

11. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 9 and wherein said time during which said vehicle is being operated comprises at least one of:

the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and

the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.

12. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 9 and wherein at least one of said at least one intermediate storage and communication units is operative to receive said output data from a plurality of said communicators on board a corresponding plurality of said vehicles and to communicate said output in at least one composite message to said data processor.

13. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 9 and wherein said sensor is not connected to an electrical system of said vehicle.

14. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 9 and wherein said at least one data processor comprises a vehicle fee payment data processor.

15. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 9 and wherein said at least one data processor comprises a vehicle insurance billing data processor.

16. A vehicle-related services system comprising:

at least one sensor on board a vehicle and automatically sensing the time during said vehicle is being operated;

a communicator on board said vehicle providing an output indicating only the time during which said vehicle is being operated;

at least one data processor receiving a communication from said communicator, indicating the time during which said vehicle is being operated and providing a billing data output in respect of a vehicle-related service which is dependent on the time during which said vehicle is being operated; and

at least one intermediate storage and communication unit operative to receive said output from said communicator when a vehicle in which said communicator is located is at one of a plurality of predetermined locations, said at least one intermediate storage and communication unit being operative to retransmit said output to said data processor.

17. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 16 and wherein said time during which said vehicle is being operated comprises at least one of:

the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and

the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.

18. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 16 and wherein said intermediate storage arid communication unit is located at a vehicle fueling station.

19. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 16 and wherein at least one of said at least one intermediate storage and communication unit is operative to receive said output data from a plurality of said communicators on board a corresponding plurality of said vehicles and to communicate said output in at least one composite message to said data processor.

20. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 16 and wherein said at least one sensor is not connected to an electrical system of said vehicle.

21. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 16 and wherein said at least one data processor comprises a vehicle fee payment data processor.

22. A vehicle-related services system according to claim 16 and wherein said at least one data processor comprises a vehicle insurance billing data processor.