Billing a rented third party transport including an on-board unit
View Patent ↗A system, method, and computer readable medium for toll service activation using an on-board unit in a third party transport comprises, a third party entity, a toll rental entity, and an on-board unit communicably coupled to the third party entity and to the toll rental entity, wherein the on-board unit, receives a position signal, initiates a toll service request, converts the position signal to a toll usage, and stores the position signal, the toll service request and the toll usage.
1. A method for providing toll service to a third-party-operated transport user, the method comprising:
installing a toll service software in an automotive navigation device of a third-party-operated transport;
wherein the automotive navigation device comprises a database communicably coupled to a processor and a network interface for wireless communications;
providing, via an interface of the automotive navigation device, a toll service option to the third-party-operated transport user;
responsive to acceptance of the toll service option by the third-party-operated transport user, activating the automotive navigation device to function as a toll service device and for communication with a toll authority computer;
utilizing a toll authority via the activated automotive navigation device;
storing toll usage data in the database of the automotive navigation device;
transferring the stored toll usage data from the database of the automotive navigation device to a third-party entity computer; and
billing the third-party-operated transport user, by the third-party entity computer, a fee corresponding to a toll usage amount upon return of the third-party-operated transport to a third-party entity.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of activating is performed by at least one of:
the third-party entity;
a toll-rental entity; and
the toll authority.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the toll authority is communicably coupled to at least one of:
the third-party entity;
the toll-rental entity; and
the on-board computer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automotive navigation device interface allows interaction between the third-party-operated transport user and the automotive navigation device.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
sending a deactivation signal to at least one of the third-party entity computer and the automotive navigation device; and
wherein, upon receiving the deactivation signal, the automotive navigation device discontinues communication with the toll authority computer.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount is charged to the third-party-operated transport user by the third-party entity computer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third-party-operated transport user pays the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount via the automotive navigation device interface.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the third-party entity comprises at least one of:
an entity that rents vehicles;
an entity that leases vehicles; and
an entity that loans vehicles.
9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the toll-rental entity is a stand-alone unit from the third-party entity.
10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the toll-rental entity is integrated within the third-party entity.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the toll usage data comprises at least one of a toll transaction time and a vehicle license plate number.
12. A method for providing toll service to a third-party-operated transport user, the method comprising:
installing a toll service software in an automotive navigation device of a third-party-operated transport;
wherein the automotive navigation device comprises a database communicably coupled to a processor and a network interface for wireless communications;
providing, via an interface of the automotive navigation device, a toll service option to the third-party-operated transport user;
responsive to acceptance of the toll service option by the third-party-operated transport user, activating the automotive navigation device to function as a toll service device and for communication with a toll authority computer;
utilizing a toll authority via the activated automotive navigation device;
storing toll usage data in the database of the automotive navigation device;
transferring the stored toll usage data from the database of the automotive navigation device to a toll-rental entity computer; and
billing the third-party-operated transport user, by the toll-rental entity computer, a fee corresponding to a toll usage amount upon return of the third-party-operated transport to a third-party entity.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount is charged to the third-party-operated transport user by the toll-rental entity computer.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third-party-operated transport user pays the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount via an automotive navigation device interface.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the toll authority is communicably coupled to at least one of:
the third-party entity;
a toll-rental entity; and
the on-board computer.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the third-party entity comprises at least one of:
an entity that rents vehicles;
an entity that leases vehicles; and
an entity that loans vehicles.
17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
sending a deactivation signal to at least one of the toll-rental entity computer and the automotive navigation device; and
wherein, upon receiving the deactivation signal, the automotive navigation device discontinues communication with the toll authority computer.
18. A system for providing third-party-operated transport users an option for toll service, the system comprising:
a third-party-operated transport;
a toll authority;
an automotive navigation device of the third-party-operated transport, the automotive navigation device comprising a network interface;
wherein the network interface allows interaction between the third-party-operated transport user and the automotive navigation device and provides, to the third-party-operated transport user, the option for the toll service utilizing the automotive navigation device;
wherein, responsive to acceptance of the toll service option by the third-party-operated transport user, the automotive navigation device is activated for functioning as a toll service device and for communication with a toll authority computer;
wherein the automotive navigation device transfers toll usage data to at least one of a third-party entity computer and a toll-rental entity computer; and
wherein the third-party-operated transport user is billed by at least one of the third-party entity computer and the toll-rental entity computer, a fee corresponding to a toll usage amount upon return of the third-party-operated transport to a third-party entity.