Patent Application
20180197348
The present disclosure relates generally to automated vehicular toll systems and more particularly to providing a back-up payment means in a toll system when a toll tag is either inoperable or not present.
In current vehicular toll systems it is common to automate toll payment by use of a toll tag in the vehicle. A toll tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag device that responds to a read signal transmitted from a vehicular toll gateway. The read signal is transmitted by a reader associated with a lane controller. Upon receiving the read signal, the RFID tag device responds by transmitting an identifier that is associated with an account, assuming the RFID tag device is operable or present in the vehicle. Such toll gateways allow drivers to drive through the toll gateway at normal speed, without having to slow down or stop. In case the reader does not receive a response, as the vehicle passes through the toll gateway, a picture is taken of the vehicle's license tag. As a default, some toll agencies take a picture of every vehicle's license tag in the event the received identifier fails to authenticate or is not associate with a valid account.
Settlement of tolls is typically done in batch processes where a received identifier is used to identify an account with the toll agency, and the account is debited accordingly. If no valid identifier is received for a given vehicle, the toll agency must cross reference the license tag number with a government registration database. This typically accrues additional charges. An infraction invoice for the cost of the toll and additional charges associated with processing the license tag information is then sent to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Similarly, a person who rents a car, such as on a business trip, may have to stop and pay tolls manually since the renter does not have a suitable toll tag to use. If a vehicle renter goes through a wireless toll gateway, the toll agency will issue an infraction invoice to the rental agency, who will in turn charge the renter.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for an alternate way to pay tolls without additional charges when the vehicle has no toll tag or an inoperative toll tag.
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
Embodiments discussed and taught herein include a method for using a vehicle license tag number for toll payment with a toll agency as a backup form of account authorization. The method includes receiving, at a toll application of a mobile device, an input including a vehicle license tag number. The input is provided by a subscriber of a toll service that maintains an account for the subscriber, and settles toll transactions with the toll agency on behalf of the subscriber. The method further includes transmitting the license tag number and account credentials to an account server of the toll service. The toll service is separate from the toll agency. The account server maintains an account for the subscriber and associates subscriber information with an account identifier, including the input vehicle license tag number or numbers. The method further includes storing the license tag number in association with the account based on the credentials. The method further includes transmitting, by the account server, a tag number list including the license tag number to a back office server of the toll agency. The toll agency uses the license tag number to reconcile payment for tolls accrued by a vehicle having the license tag number from the account.
The mobile device 102 is a small, portable computing device that includes one or more radio transceivers. Examples of mobile devices include, for example, cellular or “smart” phones, tablet computing devices, personal digital assistants, and so on. In addition to radio interface(s), a mobile device 102 includes a graphical display 103 and input means to allow a user of the mobile device 102 to interact with, and control operation of the mobile device 102, as well as memory and a processor to execute program code for applications, programs, operating systems, and other software elements. The memory includes read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), and can include other types of memory such as flash memory, and can include memory expansion such as memory card slots.
The RFID tag device 104 contains identity information that can be used for conducting wireless transactions as well as radio communication means to communicate with the mobile device 102 and toll readers 110. Accordingly, the RFID tag device 104 can have two radio frequency (RF) interfaces. A RF interface which is a wireless radio interface and includes an antenna and transceiver that operate according to a defined protocol or air interface. The air interface defines channel format, timing, modulation, and other aspect for radio communication. The RFID tag device 104 can include a first RF interface 107 to communicate with the mobile device 102 via radio link 108, and a second RF interface 105 to communicate with another device, such as an RFID reader 110, over radio link 112. The radio links 108, 112 indicate communication between the devices over their respective RF interfaces. The RFID tag device 104 can be held against, or substantially close to the mobile device 102, such as by forming the RFID tag device 104 in the form of a card with an adhesive layer to affix the RFID tag device 104 onto a surface (such as a back surface) of the mobile device 102 as indicated by arrows 106. In some embodiments the mobile device 102 and RFID tag device 104 can communicate via radio link 108 using a near field communication (NFC) protocol, such as that specified by ISO/IEC 18000-3 which has an effective range of about 10 cm and operates at 13.56 MHz. Typically the NFC communication between the mobile device 102 and the RFID tag device 104 will be encrypted for security purposes. In addition to exchanging data over the radio link 108, the mobile device 102 can power the RFID tag device 104 via radio link 108. The energy of the NFC signal from the mobile device can be collected in the RFID tag device and used to by the RFID tag device 104 to respond to the mobile device over link 108, as well as for RFID operations via radio link 112. Radio link 112 between the RFID tag device and RFID reader 110 can be a RFID interface, such as, for example, that specified by ISO/IEC 18000-6c, ISO/IEC 18000-6b, or other known RFID interface standards. In some embodiments, the link 112 can be specifically configured to operate according to a vehicular toll standard for use in wireless tollway systems. In such embodiments, the RFID reader 110 can be a tollway reader that is positioned over a traffic lane of a toll road. The RFID reader 110 includes an antenna and transceiver to support communications with RFID tag devices, as is known. As the RFID tag device 104 passes by the reader 110, a signal from the reader 110 causes the RFID tag device 104 to respond via link 112 with identification information to identify the RFID tag device 104. Furthermore, the reader 110 can, in some embodiments, transmit transaction information to the RFID tag device 104 via link 112. The transaction information can include information such as an identification of the reader 110, location, a toll amount, the time, and so on. In some embodiments the reader 110 does not transmit transaction information to the RFID tag device 104, and the RFID tag device 104 only indicates to the mobile device 102 that it has been read (i.e. that it has responded to a reader signal). In some embodiments the reader 110 may also write information to the RFID tag device 104.
The mobile device 102 contains a toll application 118 that allows the mobile device 102 to facilitate transactions, including processing transaction information received from the RFID tag device 104 or transaction information generated by the mobile device 102 upon receipt of an indication of a transaction by the RFID tag device 104, and forwarding the transaction information to an account server 122. The toll application also allows a user of the mobile device to configure and edit a toll account 123 on a remotely located account service operated by a toll service to which the user of the mobile device can subscribe. The toll service is an independent corporate entity that provides payment information to toll agencies on behalf of subscribers of the toll service. One information item that can be maintained in the account 123 is one or more vehicle license tag numbers of vehicles operated by the user of the mobile device 102 or owner of the account 123. The vehicle license tag number is used as a back-up means of reconciling payment so as to avoid infraction or violation charges if the RFID tag device 104 fails to be read by a toll gateway upon passing through the toll gateway.
In some embodiments the mobile device 102, in addition to the radio interface to support radio link 108, comprises another radio interface to communicate at farther distances, such as a cellular transceiver for communicating over a cellular radio telephony link 116 with a cellular telephony infrastructure network 114. The cellular radio telephony link 116 is operated in accordance with a cellular data communications standard, such as, for example, the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or code division multiple access (CDMA), among other known standards. The mobile device 102 can transmit transaction information over the cellular telephony radio link 116, through a wide area network 120, such as the Internet, to the account server 122 that maintains the account information for the account 123 associated with the mobile device 102, the RFID tag device 104, or an owner or agent who operates the mobile device 102 and RFID tag device 104.
The account server 122 can be linked to one or more banks 124 to maintain funding for transactions applied to the account 123 associated with the RFID tag device 104. The account 123 can be accessed by the toll application 118 executing on the mobile device 102 by presenting appropriate credentials (e.g. user name and password).
The account server 122 can communicate with a back office server 128 that is operated by a toll agency. A toll agency is an entity that operates the toll equipment and collects tolls. The back office service 128 is associated with reader 110 over similar, if not the same, networks 126, 130. The back office server 128 logs transaction information and reconciles payment of funds due with the account server 122. Processing the transaction information is typically performed by batch processing, although in some embodiments it is contemplated that processing can be performed on a per-transaction or per-occurrence basis. The account server 122 can verify transactions based on transaction information received from the mobile device 102. Typically the identifier read from the RFID tag device 104 is used to reconcile transactions. However, in the event that the identifier is not read, as each vehicle passes through a toll gateway, a photograph is taken of the vehicle's license tag. The photograph can be processed to acquire the license tag number, such as by optical character recognition. The license tag number acquired from the photograph can be cross referenced against a license tag number list 125 of license tag numbers provided by the account server 122 to the toll agency (i.e. back office server 128), which are each associated with an account in good standing. If a match is found, then the corresponding account is debited for the toll. If a match is not found, then the toll agency can commence an infraction process where a government-maintained database is queried to determine the registered owner of the vehicle based on the license tag number acquired from the photograph, and an infraction invoice is sent to the registered owner. In some embodiments the list 125 comprises a single license tag number that the toll agency can add to a presently existing list, such as when the user has rented a vehicle and needs the license tag number of the rental vehicle added immediately.
At the start 800 a subscriber or user of a toll service uses a toll application on appropriate computer equipment to upload one or more vehicle license tag numbers to be associated with the subscriber's account in process 804. The toll service's account server then adds the subscriber's license tag numbers to the subscriber's account and to a list of license tag numbers that the toll service sends to toll agencies to settle tolls in process 806. Processes 804, 806 can be performed in accordance with the method of
Periodically, the toll agency will process toll events to collect tolls. Typically this processing is done daily. Accordingly the toll service determines a time process toll events in process 810 as a batch process. When the time to process the license tag number list arrives, the license tag number list is then transferred from the toll service (i.e. from an account server) to the toll agency (i.e. a back office server of the toll agency), as indicated in process 812. However, it is contemplated that temporary license tag numbers may need more timely processing as indicated in decision box 808. Temporary license tag numbers can be uploaded to a toll agency as needed, or immediately, as indicated by process 814, rather than waiting for a batch processing time since the temporary license tag registration to a subscriber's account may expire before the time for batch processing occurs, such as a vehicle for business rental for only part of a day.
Upon receiving the list of license tag numbers, the toll agency can upload the list to each lane controller for processing as indicated in process 816, or the back office server or other equipment of the toll agency can process the list. In processing toll events, the toll agency equipment first determines, for each toll event, whether a valid identifier was received, as indicated in process 818. If a valid identifier was received from the vehicle, then the toll is processed normally in box 820 and the corresponding account is debited to settle the toll due. If the vehicle did not respond with a valid identifier, or at all, then the toll agency equipment can process the photograph taken and stored in conjunction with the toll event to acquire the license tag number of the vehicle generating the toll event and compare with the list of vehicle license tag numbers provided to the toll agency by the toll service, as indicated in process 822, to determine if there is a match. A match occurs when the license tag number of the vehicle generating the toll event is found on the list of license tag numbers provided to the toll agency by the toll service. When a match is found, the toll agency uses the license tag number to process the toll settlement with the toll service. The toll service cross references the matching license tag number to the corresponding subscriber account and debits the account accordingly. If a match is not found by the toll agency, as in process 824, the toll agency then commences an infraction invoicing process 826 where, for example, the toll agency queries a government-maintained database of vehicle registrations to obtain owner information for the vehicle that generated the toll event. Typically the government agency charges for each such query, and that charge is added to the toll amount. The toll agency can then invoice the owner of the vehicle, such as by mailing an invoice for the toll and any additional charges or fees due, along with an indication that failure to pay the invoiced amount can result in a civil infraction.
Accordingly, the method and apparatus of the embodiments exemplified herein provide a means for vehicle operators to have tolls normally processed without additional penalties by registering one or more vehicle license tag numbers with their toll service account. The toll service provides registered license tag numbers for accounts in good standing to a toll agency. This allows subscribers of the toll service to avoid additional charges when their toll tag device fails or is not present in their vehicle. The license tag numbers are processed as a back-up means if the toll agency does not receive a valid identifier in response to the read signal at a toll gateway during a toll event.
In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings.
The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed.
It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used.
Moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.
The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/946,549, filed Jul. 19, 2103, and titled ‘Method and Apparatus for Using a Vehicle License Tag Number for Toll Payment as a Backup From of Account Authorization,” the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13946549 | Jul 2013 | US |
| Child | 15912269 | US |
