IP Library Granted Patent US 11,158,136
Granted Patent B2
US 11,158,136 · App. 16/660,040 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Tolling system using vehicle identifier correlation

Inventors: Alessandro Stagni (Richardson, TX); Janamejaya Chowdhary (Richardson, TX); Scott Colman Cote (Allen, TX); Ronald Joseph Albright (Plano, TX)
Assignee: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS CORP.
G07B15/063G08G1/04H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,158,136
App. No.
16/660,040
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method performed by a computing system includes receiving from a detection system, a plurality of identity tokens. The plurality of identity tokens include different types of identity tokens. The method further includes associating each of the plurality of identity tokens with a node of a graph, incrementing an edge between two nodes of the graph in response to determining that the two identity tokens associated with the two nodes were detected by the first detection system within a detection time window, decrementing the edge between the two nodes in response to determining that one of the identity tokens associated with one of the two nodes is detected within a detection time window without detecting one of the identity tokens associated with the other of the two nodes, and correlating the identity tokens associated with the two nodes based on a value of the edge.

Claims (35)

1. A method performed by a system having a computing system and a plurality of detection systems in communication with the computing system, the method comprising:

with the detection systems, detecting a plurality of identity tokens, the plurality of identity tokens including different types of identity tokens;

with the computing system, associating each of the plurality of identity tokens with a node of a graph;

incrementing an edge between two nodes of the graph in response to determining that the two identity tokens associated with the two nodes were detected by a first detection system within a detection time window;

decrementing the edge between the two nodes in response to determining that one of the identity tokens associated with one of the two nodes is detected within the detection time window without detecting one of the identity tokens associated with the other of the two nodes; and

correlating the identity tokens associated with the two nodes based on a value of the edge.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection system includes a plurality of detection instruments, each of the plurality of detection instruments being configured to detect a different type of identity token.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the detection instruments include at least one of: a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) reader, an image sensor, and a network interface system.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the detection instruments are arranged to detect identity tokens within a detection volume.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the types of identity token include at least one of: a license plate number, an RFID number, and a network address.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the correlating is based on a threshold value of the edge.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, incrementing a value of the one of the two nodes in response to detecting the one of the identity tokens associated with the one of the two nodes.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the correlating based on a ratio of occurrences defined by values in the nodes and co-occurrences defined by values of edges of the graph.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, receiving from the detection systems, qualifiers that identify non-unique characteristics of moving objects.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the qualifiers include at least one of vehicle make, vehicle model, and vehicle color.

11. A method performed by a system having a computing system and a plurality of detection systems in communication with the computing system, the method comprising:

detecting with the plurality of detection systems, identity tokens of different types for a plurality of moving objects, each of the identity tokens corresponding to a detection event within a detection volume;

recording a number of occurrences for each of the identity tokens;

recording a number of co-occurrences for instances in which two different identity tokens pass through the detection volume during a detection time window; and

correlating different types of identity tokens with each other based on a threshold ratio between occurrences and co-occurrences.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of detection systems are placed at different geographical locations.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of detection systems includes a plurality of detection instruments within the detection volume.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein recording the number of occurrences comprises incrementing a value of a node within a graph, the node being associated with a particular identity token.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein recording the co-occurrences comprises incrementing a value of an edge between two nodes in a graph.

16. A system comprising:

a plurality of detection systems, each detection system having a plurality of detection instruments for detecting different types of identity tokens;

a computing system in communication with each of the plurality of detection systems, the computing system comprising a processor and a memory with machine-readable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the plurality of detection systems, identity tokens of different types for a plurality of moving objects passing through a detection volume;

record a number of occurrences for each of the identity tokens;

record a number of co-occurrences for instances in which two different identity tokens pass through the detection volume during a detection time window; and

correlate different types of identity tokens with each other based on a threshold ratio between occurrences and co-occurrences.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of detection systems are placed at different geographical locations.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of detection systems includes a plurality of detection instruments within the detection volume.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein to record the number of occurrences, the system is further to increment a value of a node within a graph, the node being associated with a particular identity token.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein to record the co-occurrences, the system is further to increment a value of an edge between two nodes in a graph.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2026
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
To: INTERNATIONAL ROAD DYNAMICS INC.; ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 075581/0847 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2021
From: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS, LLC
To: HSBC BANK CANADA
Reel/Frame 057612/0299 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2021
From: CAPITAL SOUTHWEST CORPORATION
To: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057367/0778 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 13, 2020
From: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS, LLC
To: CAPITAL SOUTHWEST CORPORATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 053495/0098 →
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Jul 28, 2020
From: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS CORPORATION
To: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 053337/0024 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: STAGNI, ALESSANDRO; CHOWDHARY, JANAMEJAYA; COTE, SCOTT COLMAN; ALBRIGHT, RONALD JOSEPH
To: ELECTRONIC TRANSACTION CONSULTANTS CORP.
Reel/Frame 050792/0234 →