Mobile device and navigation device toll paying system and method

1. A computer system for processing the electronic payment of tolls, the computer system comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions configured to:

store, on a toll collection server, an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and a mobile computing device;

store, on the toll collection server, a database having a plurality of toll locations, respective geofences associated with the plurality of toll locations, and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes at least one toll location of the plurality of toll locations;

increase a frequency of GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has entered the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to trace the path of the mobile computing device;

decrease the frequency of the GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to reduce use of a battery in the mobile computing device;

send a first notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate the mobile computing device is within the geofence of the at least one toll location;

receive an electronic communication containing a second notification that the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location;

modify the accounting record on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account;

couple the toll collection server to a toll authority server; and

send an electronic payment to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll for the at least one toll location.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device is selected from the group consisting of a handheld device and a navigation device.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the toll authority server sends the electronic communication to the toll collection server and the electronic communication includes a list of toll evaders.

4. The computer system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to:

send a notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate that the mobile user has incurred a toll; and

request that the mobile user confirm that it intends to pay the toll.

5. The computer system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to: wait a predetermined time period for the mobile user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server.

6. The computer system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to:

wait for the mobile user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server; and

send the electronic payment to the toll authority server immediately after the mobile user responds.

7. The computer system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to:

store, in the memory of the toll collection server, a plurality of virtual tollbooths with each virtual tollbooth corresponding to a toll collection location in the toll collection server database.

8. A computer-implemented method for processing the electronic payment of tolls, comprising executing on a processor the steps of:

storing, in the memory of a toll collection server, an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and a mobile computing device including a battery;

storing, in the memory of the toll collection server, a database having a plurality of toll locations, respective geofences associated with the plurality of toll locations, and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes at least one toll location of the plurality of toll locations;

increasing a frequency of GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has entered the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to trace the path of the mobile computing device;

decreasing the frequency of the GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to reduce use of the mobile computing device battery;

sending a first notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate the mobile computing device is within the geofence of the at least one toll location;

receiving, by the toll collection server, an electronic communication containing a second notification that the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location;

modifying the accounting record on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account;

coupling the toll collection server to a toll authority server; and

sending an electronic payment to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll for the at least one toll location.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the mobile computing device is selected from the group consisting of a handheld computer and a navigation device.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining a direction of travel of the mobile computing device based on an entry point at the respective geofence and an exit point at the respective geofence.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the toll authority server sends the electronic communication to the toll collection server and the electronic communication includes a list of toll evaders.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:

sending a notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate that the mobile user has incurred a toll; and

requesting that the mobile user confirm that it intends to pay the toll.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

waiting a predetermined time period for the mobile computing device user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising:

waiting for the mobile device user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server; and

sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server immediately after the mobile user responds.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:

storing, in the memory of the toll collection server, a plurality of virtual tollbooths with each virtual tollbooth corresponding to a toll collection location in the toll collection server database.

16. A system for collecting electronic tolls comprising:

a mobile computing device including a battery;

a toll collection server connected to the mobile computing device; and

a toll authority server coupled to the toll collection server;

wherein the toll collection server stores:

an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and the mobile computing device, and

a database having a plurality of toll locations, respective geofences associated with the plurality of toll locations, and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes at least one toll location of the plurality of toll locations, and

wherein the toll collection server has the ability to:

increase a frequency of GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has entered the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to trace the path of the mobile computing device;

decrease the frequency of the GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to reduce use of the mobile computing device battery;

send a first notification to the mobile computing device to indicate the mobile computing device is within the geofence of the at least one toll location;

send, to the mobile computing device, an electronic communication containing a second notification that the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location;

modify the accounting record on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account; and

send an electronic payment to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll for the at least one toll location.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the electronic communication includes a list of toll evaders.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the mobile computing device includes a software application that has the ability to receive a notification from the toll collection server that indicates that the mobile user has incurred a toll and to request that the mobile user confirm that it intends to pay the toll.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the toll collection server has the ability to wait for the mobile user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the toll collection server is further configured to:

determine a direction of travel of the mobile computing device based on an entry point at the respective geofence and an exit point at the respective geofence.