Toll payment service via wireless communication networks

• US 7,254,382 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: True, Sandra Lynn, Hasan, Peggy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/758,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20050159133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/517, 455/524, 455/525, 340/928, 340/539, 705/13
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail

Abstract

A method of processing toll payments for a motorist having a wireless communications device and a billing account, via a wireless communications network. The method includes sensing that the motorist is within range of a base station for a toll plaza having a given toll that is to be paid by the motorist; determining via a mobile switching center whether the motorist has activated a wireless toll payment service associated with the communication device; evaluating via the mobile switching center whether the subscriber has pre-selected a combined billing option for the account, where it has been determined that the service has been activated by the subscriber; sending a charge transaction from the mobile switching center to a toll payment system, where the motorist has not selected the combined billing option, the charge transaction indicating that the toll has not been paid by the motorist; and generating a billing record for the motorist at the mobile switching center and sending a non-charge transaction from the mobile switching center to a toll payment system, where the motorist has selected the combined billing option, the non-charge transaction indicating that the toll has been billed to the motorist by his/her wireless service provider.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication network, a method of processing toll payments for a motorist having a wireless communications device and a billing account with a wireless service provider, the method comprising:

sensing that the motorist is within range of a base station for a toll plaza having a given toll that is to be paid by the motorist;

determining via a mobile switching center whether the motorist has activated a wireless toll payment service associated with the communication device;

evaluating via the mobile switching center whether the subscriber has pre-selected a combined billing option for the account, where it has been determined that the service has been activated by the subscriber;

sending a charge transaction from the mobile switching center to a toll payment system, where the motorist has not selected the combined billing option, the charge transaction indicating that the toll has not been paid by the motorist; and

generating a billing record for the motorist at the mobile switching center and sending a non-charge transaction from the mobile switching center to a toll payment system, where the motorist has selected the combined billing option, the non-charge transaction indicating that the toll has been billed to the motorist by the wireless service provider.

2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the mobile switching center a communication from the subscriber via the communication device;

determining at the mobile switching center a subscriber subscription status based upon the communication;

updating via the mobile switching center a subscriber database to indicate the subscriber subscription status; and

notifying the toll payment system of the subscriber subscription status.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein the communication is a subscribe or unsubscribe request and is initiated by dialing a phone number, entering a feature activation code or logging onto a Web site.

4. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the mobile switching center a service activation request from the subscriber via the communication device; and

updating a subscriber database to indicate that the wireless toll payment service has been activated for the subscriber.

5. The method defined in claim 2 further comprising:

receiving at the mobile switching center a service activation request from the subscriber via the communication device; and

updating the subscriber database to indicate that the wireless toll payment service has been activated for the subscriber.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the service activation request is initiated by dialing a phone number, entering a feature activation code or logging onto a Web site.

7. A system for processing toll payments for a motorist having a wireless communication device and a wireless billing account with a wireless service provider, the system comprising:

means for sensing that the motorist having a communication device is within range of a base station for a toll plaza having a given toll that is to be paid by the motorist;

means for determining at a mobile switching center whether the motorist has activated a wireless toll payment service associated with the communication device;

means for evaluating at the mobile switching center whether the subscriber has pre-selected a combined billing option for the account, where it has been determined that the service has been activated by the subscriber;

means for sending a charge transaction from the mobile switching center to a toll payment system, where the motorist has not selected the combined billing option, the charge transaction indicating that the toll has not been paid by the motorist; and

means for generating a billing record for the motorist at the mobile switching center and sending a non-charge transaction from the mobile switching center to a toll payment system, where the motorist has selected the combined billing option, the non-charge transaction indicating that the toll has been billed to the motorist by the wireless service provider.

8. The system defined in claim 7, further comprising:

means for receiving at the mobile switching center a communication from the subscriber via the communication device;

means for determining at the mobile switching center a subscriber subscription status based upon the communication;

means for updating via the mobile switching center a subscriber database to indicate the subscriber subscription status; and

means for notifying the toll payment system of the subscriber subscription status.

9. The system defined in claim 8, further comprising:

means for receiving at the mobile switching center a service activation request from the subscriber via the communication device; and

means for updating a subscriber database to indicate that the wireless toll payment service has been activated for the subscriber.

10. The system defined in claim 8, further comprising:

means for receiving at the mobile switching center a service activation request from the subscriber via the communication device; and

means for updating the subscriber database to indicate that the wireless toll payment service has been activated for the subscriber.