System, method and computer readable medium for billing based on a duration of a service period

A system, method, and computer readable medium for billing based on a duration of a service period, comprises sending fleet data from a third party entity to a toll authority via a toll rental entity, matching toll data with the fleet data by the toll authority, if the toll data matches the fleet data: charging an account by the toll authority and sending the matched data to the toll rental entity, determining, by the toll rental entity, if the sent matched data is related to an opt-in for duration based tolling or an opt-out for duration based tolling, if the sent matched data is related to an opt-in for duration based tolling, charging the third party entity for the duration based tolling, and if the sent matched data is related to an opt-out for duration based tolling, applying at least one of: a fee for the duration based tolling, a toll usage amount, a service fee for the duration based tolling, and a service fee for the toll usage.

The present patent application is also related to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/125,521, titled Toll Fee System And Method, filed on May 10, 2005, to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/516,376, titled System, Method, And Computer Readable Medium For Billing, and to U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/516,380, titled System, Method, And Computer Readable Medium For Billing Tolls, filed on Sep. 6, 2006, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to toll systems and methods and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to systems, methods, and computer readable media for billing based on a duration of a service period.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention incorporates by reference various information including: toll fee tracking systems and methods for automatic, non-contact, high-speed toll fee tracking and payment of vehicular tolls using a Pre-authorized Toll Pass, business processes for toll fee system and method for vehicle registration, invoicing, opt-in services, and toll violations, and to toll service systems and methods adapted to provide toll service to third party entity vehicles without having to stop at a toll authority. In such a scenario, a toll rental entity gathers all third party entity vehicle information such as, for example, license plate number, vehicle registration state, vehicle make, vehicle model and the like from third party entities to provide toll service to the third party entity vehicles. When a third party entity customer rents a third party entity vehicle with the toll rental service option, the toll rental entity receives such notification as opt-in service transaction from the third party entity and communicates the information back to the toll authority/toll collection entity to support the service for the third party entity vehicle. If the customer is not opted for this service and violated the toll authority/toll collection entity by not paying at the toll authority/toll collection entity, then the toll authority/toll collection entity identifies third party vehicles by license plate number. The toll rental entity will then communicate with the third party entity to obtain rental violator information for later violation processing. Instead of charging the customer by toll usage, embodiments of the present invention charge the customer by the rental period.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for billing based on a duration of a service period, comprises sending fleet data from a third party entity to a toll authority via a toll rental entity, matching toll data with the fleet data by the toll authority, if the toll data matches the fleet data: charging an account by the toll authority and sending the matched data to the toll rental entity, determining, by the toll rental entity, if the sent matched data is related to an opt-in for duration based tolling or an opt-out for duration based tolling, if the sent matched data is related to an opt-in for duration based tolling, charging the third party entity for the duration based tolling, and if the sent matched data is related to an opt-out for duration based tolling, applying at least one of a fee for the duration based tolling, a toll usage amount, a service fee for the duration based tolling, and a service fee for the toll usage.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a system for billing based on a duration of a service period, comprises a toll authority, and a toll rental entity, wherein the toll rental entity sends a payment to the toll authority irrespective of toll usage.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium comprises instructions for capturing toll usage, validating the toll usage, sending the validated toll usage, and receiving a payment based on the validated toll usage for an opt-out service period related to a rented transport.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium comprises instructions for: capturing toll usage, validating the toll usage, sending the validated toll usage, and sending the validated toll usage for an opt-out service period related to a rented transport.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now toFIG. 1, a flow diagram100is illustrated. The depicted messages are sent and received by a number of entities or modules including a third party entity102(such as a rent-a-car or other transport rental company), a toll rental entity104, and a toll authority106. The flow diagram100demonstrates duration based billing for third party vehicles for toll services. Third party vehicles enroll for the toll services by establishing a communication between the third party system and the toll rental entity system. Once the communication is established, the toll rental entity104receives fleets/vehicles that will be used for toll services from the third party entity102. When the third party entity vehicles uses the toll services at the toll facility/plaza, toll authority106captures the toll usage150using methods such as RFID reader for transponder152, OCR and camera for license plate recognition154and any other future mechanism156(manual, 5.6 GHZ etc.).

Toll rental entity104enables rental vehicle for toll service either by receiving third party vehicles or by receiving rental agreements or service requests. Third party vehicles can be dynamically associated114with any vehicle identification method such as an RFID transponder and/or license plate recognition. Some vehicles may support multiple vehicle identifications at the various toll authority locations. Toll rental entity104might or might not periodically send third party vehicle information116to the toll authority104. If the toll authority receives the periodical updates118from the toll rental entity, the toll authority might check for the vehicle authentication using fleet database119before the toll usage is sent to the third party entity.

The third party entity102sends the duration based service request120to the third party entity with dynamic association of an RFID vehicle tag or by the license plate with the service contract information. The third party entity applies duration based billing rule121and saves the service request in the opt-in/opt-out database. Coverage map124defines the service request coverage area. If the renter subscribed for a particular local only, the subscribed location will be treated as an opt-in and the rest of the location will be treated as an opt-out.

Duration Package126applies the duration billing rule and breaks the service request into different components called duration groups136which can be created by peak time service charge, off time service charges, etc. For example 6 AM-9 AM may be charged at a higher price due to high traffic whereas the rest of the time it will be charged at a lower price. Account Billing128applies billing rules such as prepaid or post paid account business rules for the request, fleet Identification130applies the dynamic different billing models based on the vehicle identification type. Electronic toll collection using RFID transponder might be charged at a higher price due to additional inventory management whereas OCR based might be charged at a lower price.

Real Time Billing132applies real billing on the toll usage. Once the pre-authorized toll consumption is over, billing rules are applied either to stop the service or provide the service with an extra fee. Frequency based billing134applies rules such as tracking the frequency of toll usage or consumption and provides the discounts and other promotional offers for the toll services.

Referring nowFIG. 2, a toll rental entity breaks the service request or rental agreement202into various duration groups. This can be achieved at the rental begin time or at the rental end time. Toll rental entity104maps all the toll usage received from the toll authority into the duration groups204. The third party entity102sends the deposit or payments138to the toll authority based on the service request if the toll authority is signed for the duration based billing. The third party entity may pay by hour, daily, weekly, etc. Toll rental entity104creates service groups for the opt-out customers if there are any toll usages on that period. In such cases there may be additional processing fees that can be applied. The toll rental entity performs the opt-out billing rules such as: late opt-in, on demand opt-in and opt-out and charges the third party entity for the opt-out transactions.

Referring nowFIG. 3, the third party entity104groups the billing process as two layers, such as front end billing302and back end billing304. Front end billing is performed at the service request level, by opt-in, opt-out, coverage, frequency, duration, vehicle identification etc. Please refer toFIG. 1for more details. Back end billing is performed at the entity level such as toll authority level or by the third party entity level. All the billable items will be periodically managed through the invoicing, payment and collection processes.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for billing based on a duration of a service period, comprises sending fleet data from a third party entity to a toll authority via a toll rental entity, matching toll data with the fleet data by the toll authority, if the toll data matches the fleet data: charging an account by the toll authority and sending the matched data to the toll rental entity, determining, by the toll rental entity, if the sent matched data is related to an opt-in for duration based tolling or an opt-out for duration based tolling, if the sent matched data is related to an opt-in for duration based tolling, charging the third party entity for the duration based tolling, and if the sent matched data is related to an opt-out for duration based tolling, applying at least one of: a fee for the duration based tolling, a toll usage amount, a service fee for the duration based tolling, and a service fee for the toll usage.

The method further comprises sending a disputed status (or a report corresponding to a disputed status) to the toll authority by the toll rental entity based on a dispute with the matched data, and setting up the account by the toll authority with the toll rental entity, wherein the account is at least one of: a prepaid account, a prepaid account with a minimum balance, and a postpaid account, wherein the fleet data includes at least one of: a license plate number, a license plate state, a license state type, an RFID transponder identification, a vehicle identification number, a vehicle owner, a vehicle make, a vehicle model, and a vehicle color. The method also comprises providing a violation by the toll authority if the toll data does not match the fleet data, and sending a service subscription from the third party entity to the toll rental entity based on an activation of the service period, wherein no vehicles, or one or more vehicles, associated with the fleet includes a transponder, and wherein the service period is at least one of: seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years. In another embodiment, toll data can be collected prior to the matching of the toll data with the fleet data by the toll authority.

The method further comprises billing based on a duration of a rental period, wherein the rental period is equal to or greater than the service period, wherein the rental period is at least one of: a duration based transport rental service, a pre-authorized transport rental service, a pre-authorized, duration based transport rental service, an unlimited transport rental service, and a location based transport rental service, wherein the service period is related to a toll service, and wherein the toll service is at least one of: a duration based toll service, a pre-authorized toll service, a pre-authorized, duration based toll service, an unlimited toll service, and a location based toll service.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium, or software of the present invention, comprises instructions for capturing toll usage, validating the toll usage, sending the validated toll usage, and receiving a payment based on the validated toll usage for an opt-out service period related to a rented transport. The computer readable medium further comprises instructions for receiving (for example, by a toll rental entity) the validated toll usage for the opt-out service period and sending customer information related to the opt-out service period (for example, to a toll authority), and charging a customer (for example, by a toll authority) based on the customer information.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium comprises instructions for: capturing toll usage (for example, by a toll authority), validating the toll usage (for example, by a toll authority), sending the validated toll usage (for example, by a toll authority to a toll rental entity), and sending the validated toll usage for an opt-out service period related to a rented transport (for example, by a toll rental entity to a third party entity). The computer readable medium further comprises instructions for charging a customer (for example, by the third party entity) based on the validated toll usage, and charging a customer (for example, by the third party entity) based on customer information related to the validated toll usage.

In any of the scenarios above, charges can also be provided based on fees, fines, violations, late payments, unauthorized use or access, insufficient balances, and the like. Also, the coverage area for the service of the present invention can include local, city, inter city, inter state, nation wide, etc., billing can be provided based on capacity (single driver, multiple drivers, multiple passengers) and weight of the rented vehicle, and based on time (for example, $5 would be charged during certain hours (such as peak hours) and $2 would be charged during other hours.

FIG. 4depicts a flow chart400illustrating a billing and charge process. At step402, the third party entity102sends402vehicle information, a rental period, and service details to the toll rental entity104which receives a post service activation at step404, creates duration groups for the rental period (which may be for any time increment such as hourly, daily, or weekly) at step406, applies coverage rates (based on such areas: local, city level, state level, national, inter city, inter state, etc.) at step408, apply a vehicle identification rate (based on RFID, OCR, other wireless capability, etc.) at step410, and receive toll data from the toll authority and associate with duration groups at step412.

At step414, a check is made to determine if a customer renting the vehicle is an opt-out customer. If the customer is an opt-out customer, the process applies a service charge per duration group at step416, and applies a service charge per toll usage at step418. If the customer is not an opt-out customer, and/or after the service charge per toll usage is applied at step418, the process applies a service charge per service request at step420, sends an invoice to the third party entity based on a billing cycle and pays one or more toll authorities for the toll usage by duration and/or by transaction at step422. At step424, the third party entity receives an invoice and sends a payment, and at step426, the toll rental entity, collects physical evidence or proof of toll usage for opt-out customers and provides such evidence or proof on demand to the toll authority.

At step430, the toll authority receives the toll rental entities' toll data record(s) based on (based on RFID, OCR, other wireless capability, etc.), transfers toll data to the third party entity at step432, detects and/or charges a toll usage to a prepaid account at step434, sends an invoice at step436, and receives a payment at step438.

FIG. 5is a flow chart500illustrating invoicing a customer and begins502by returning a vehicle504, and receiving a request to close an optional service at step506. At step508a check is made to determine if an opt-in for a toll service has occurred. If it has, data is transferred510, toll usage a rental information is accumulated512, a summary report can be generated514, the optional service is closed516, the customer is invoiced518and the process ends524. If an opt-in for a toll service has not occurred, a check is made to determine if a toll violation has occurred. If it has not, the process proceeds to the data transfer510. If it has, a violation report is generated and the process ends524.

FIG. 6is a flow chart600illustrating providing a service charge at starts602by beginning invoicing604, and determining if a regular opt-in has occurred606. If it has, a normal service price is charged612at the process ends. If it has not, an opt-in is imposed608and a service charge is assigned610before the normal service price is charged612.

FIG. 7is a block diagram of a system700that comprises a third party entity708, a toll authority710, and a toll rental entity716and722. These elements include an on-line or graphical user interface (GUI) via a third party entity agent GUI704, a toll authority agent GUI706, and a toll rental entity site702. The third party entity708and the toll authority710are connected to respective gateways712and714. In alternate embodiments, these connections may be wireless and may be made to other elements that connect to the toll rental entity716and722. The toll rental entity business services module716receives the rental agreements from the third party entity and toll usages from the toll authority/toll collection entity processes the information based on the matched or unmatched and also opt-in, opt-out, late opt-in/opt-out, early opt-in/opt-out of the transactions. The toll rental entity business services module716utilizes the event queue718and the toll rental entity data services module722for queuing the data persistence. The workflow engine720gets the notification from the event queue and based on the event queue business process will be executed. The workflow engine720uses billing system726, a contract management module728, a third party entity management system730, a toll authority management system732, a usage management system734and a collection agency module736for process execution. One or more of these elements may be positioned in different areas within the system and the functionality provided by two or more of these elements may be provided by one of these elements. Components716,720, and722use billing system726, contract management module728, the third party entity management system730, the toll authority management system732, the usage management system734and the collection agency module736for the business process implementation and execution.

FIG. 8is a block diagram of an invoicing and payment system800contained within or interfaces with a toll rental entity that comprises a toll rental entity billing type module801, which comprises a postpaid toll billing module802and a prepaid toll billing module814. The postpaid toll billing module802includes a one time charge module804, a recurring charges (subscription) module806, a discounts/promotions module808, and a service charge module810. The recurring charges module806, the discounts/promotions module808, and the service charge module810are coupled to a billing cycle module812which, along with the one time charge module804, are coupled to the invoicing module822.

The prepaid toll billing module814is coupled to the invoicing module822, via a crediting module816, a usage module818, and a renewal module820. A payments module824is also coupled to the invoicing module. It is important to note that these modules can be alternately positioned and that the functionality performed by one of these modules may be performed by another one of these modules in conjunction with or in lieu of the functionality performed by the one module.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the system of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanied drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims. For example, the capabilities of the invention can be performed fully and/or partially by one or more of the described or depicted elements. Also, these capabilities may be performed in the current manner or in a distributed manner and on, or via, any device able to provide and/or receive information. Further, although depicted in a particular manner, various modules or blocks may be repositioned without departing from the scope of the current invention. For example, information being sent to the toll rental entity can be sent to the third party entity or to multiple third party entities or may be sent to one of the entities in lieu of the other. Still further, although depicted in a particular manner, a greater or lesser number of elements and connections can be utilized with the present invention in order to accomplish the present invention, to provide additional known features to the present invention, and/or to make the present invention more efficient. For example, a cellular phone, RFID chip or other electronic device can be used to send, receive, and/or store any of the data described or depicted herein. Also, the information sent between various elements described or depicted herein, can be sent via a wireless source and/or a wired source and via a plurality of protocols.