Abstract:
In an automated code delivery system a user can pay for and request one or more codes from a bank, an automated teller machine, a convenience store, grocery store or a check cashing store, all of which are convenient payment receiving centers. A device at a convenient payment receiving center will interact with the finance company to forward a payment for financed goods. The finance company then provides an indication to an automated code delivery computer that payments have been received for a financed purchase. If payments have been received, the convenient payment receiving center can obtain one or more codes from an automated code delivery computer. Accordingly, payments for financed purchases can be made in a shorter period of time than the normal method of sending payments by mail. Further, after the payment is made, the user can almost instantaneously receive a code which prevents disablement of the user&#39;s financed purchase.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/236,392 “Automatic Code System, GETIT, Tamper Proof” to Michael Simon filed Sep. 29, 2000 and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/288,794 “Automated Code System” to Michael Simon filed on May 7, 2001, the disclosure of both of these are herein expressly incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is related to systems and methods for receipt of payment and delivery of codes for a system which disables equipment in response to the failure of a user to enter a code that corresponds with a stored code in the vehicle.  
           [0003]    Typically, monthly payments to utility companies are made with very high reliability. This is partly due to the threat of service cut-off. For example, failure to pay a telephone bill will result in loss of telephone services. Thus, telephone bills are paid regularly because failure to do so has immediate and tangible results. Monthly payments on an automobile loan, for example, are not as likely to be paid regularly. Although an automobile may be repossessed, the process is expensive and complex. Thus, the threat of repossession is less immediate than telephone service cut-off. To encourage reliable loan re-payments, it is desirable to have a “service” cut-off for equipment subject to the loan, such as an automobile.  
           [0004]    Conventional systems to encourage reliable loan re-payments interrupt the ignition system of an automobile on a regular, timed interval. To re-enable the automobile, a user is required to return to a payment center, make a payment, and have an agent reset the interrupt mechanism for a renewed timed interval. The system can only be reset by an authorized agent as it requires a key held in escrow at the payment center. While such a system is effective in encouraging users to repay their loans in a timely fashion, it has extreme overhead considerations. For example, the system requires a user to travel to the payment center each payment period of the loan in order to re-enable the automobile. In addition, a user must arrive at the payment center during its customer service hours. Still further, a user may have to wait to receive the attention of the first available agent at the payment center.  
           [0005]    One solution to these problems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,648, entitled “Loan Repay Enforcement System” issued on Feb. 27, 2001 and U.S. patent application No. 09/397,132, entitled “Time Based Disablement of Equipment” filed on Sep. 16, 1999, both of which are herein expressly incorporated in their entirety by reference. This patent and application describe systems and methods for disabling equipment if a payment is not timely made. Specifically, a control module associated with the equipment stores a plurality of codes. In order to prevent disablement of the equipment, a code which corresponds to one of the stored plurality of codes must be entered prior to the expiration of a payment period. In order to receive a code, timely payment must be received and logged in a payment center.  
           [0006]    These applications describe an exemplary embodiment where a user mails a payment to a payment center in advance of the deadline. When enough time has passed for the center to have received and processed the payment, the user can contact the payment center by means of a telephone to identify the loan. In response, an employee of the payment center can check the payment center&#39;s database and verify receipt of the payment. After verification, the employee of the payment center will disclose to the user the code which prevents disablement of the equipment. Since these systems rely upon the mailing of and processing of payments by a payment center, there can be a delay between the time payment is sent and a user is provided with a corresponding code. During this delay, the equipment may become disabled because a code had not been entered prior to the expiration of the payment period.  
           [0007]    Typically, these payment centers are associated with the finance company which provide the financing for the purchase of the equipment. As the number of loans which use the systems described in these applications grows, there is an increased administrative burden on the finance company to manage the codes and the associated payments. For example, assume that a finance company finances 400 to 1000 loans a month which use the above-described disablement equipment. Further assume that each customer receives 36 codes for a three year loan. In less than one year the finance company would be responsible for between 500,000 and 1,000,000 codes.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus which can reduce the delay between when a payment is made and a code is delivered. Further, it would be desirable to reduce the burden on finance companies for handling the codes.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention addresses the above-identified and other deficiencies of prior systems by providing methods and apparatus for an automated code delivery system. In accordance with the present invention, a user can pay for and request one or more codes from a bank, an automated teller machine, a convenience store, grocery store or a check cashing store, all of which can be referred to as convenient payment receiving centers. A device at a convenient payment receiving center will interact with the finance company to forward a payment for financed goods. The finance company can then provide an indication to an automated code delivery computer that one or more payments have been received. The automated code delivery computer then can provide one or more codes to the user at the convenient payment receiving center. By using the present invention, payments for financed purchases can be made in a shorter period of time than the normal method of sending payments by mail. Further, after the payment is made, the user can almost instantaneously receive a code which prevents disablement of the user&#39;s vehicle.  
           [0010]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a code is requested from a finance company. The finance company determines whether payment has been received for a code. If payment has been received, the previous code released to the user is determined. Next it is determined whether more than one payment has been received. If only one payment has been received, a code which is subsequent to the previously released code is provided. Alternatively, if payment for more than one code has been received, then the number of codes subsequent to the previously released code is provided based upon the number of payments received. After receiving a code, the code can be entered into a time-based vehicle disablement device to prevent the disablement of a vehicle which has the time-based disablement device installed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and drawings where:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 illustrates an arrangement of elements in an exemplary system of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method for an automated code delivery computer in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary method for a convenient payment receiving center in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method for a finance company in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary automated code delivery computer in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    In accordance with each of the exemplary embodiments of the invention, there is provided apparatus for and methods of delivery of codes and payments for a time-based disablement of equipment system. It will be appreciated that each of the embodiments described include both an apparatus and a method and that the apparatus and method of one exemplary embodiment may be different than the apparatus and method of another exemplary embodiment.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for implementing the present invention. The system illustrated in FIG. 1 includes automated code delivery computer  110 , finance company  120 , automated teller machine  130 , bank  140  and bi-directional communication links  152  through  160 . In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a user who wishes to receive a code or provide a payment would use either automated teller machine  130  or bank  140 . If a user of automated teller machine  130  wished to provide a payment, the automated teller machine  130  provides the payment over bidirectional communication link  160  to finance company  120 . Similarly, if a user at a bank  140  wished to make a payment, the bank would transmit the payment over bidirectional communication link  156  to finance company  120 . It will be recognized that automated teller machine  130  and bank  140 , can establish electronic payments with finance company  120 , such that when a payment is made at either the automated teller machine  130  or bank  140 , the payment is immediately provided to finance company  120 .  
         [0019]    Upon receipt of payment from automated teller machine  130  or bank  140 , finance company  120  provides an indication over bidirectional communication link  158  to automated code delivery computer  110  that a payment has been made. If more than one payment is made, the finance company  120  would indicate that more than one payment has been made.  
         [0020]    If a user at automated teller machine  130  desired to receive a code after making a payment, automated teller machine  130  would contact automated code delivery computer  110  via communication link  152 . If automated code delivery computer  110  has received an indication from finance company  120  that payment has been made for a code which has not been released to the user, the automated code delivery computer  110  would provide automated teller machine  130  with the code or codes which have not been previously released to the user over bidirectional communication link  152 . Similarly, if a user at bank  140  wishes to receive a code which the user had previously paid for, bank  140  would contact the automated code delivery computer  110  via bidirectional communication link  154 . Again, if automated code delivery computer  110  has received an indication from finance company  158  of receipt of a payment associated with a code not previously released to the user, automated code delivery computer  110  would provide the code or codes over bidirectional communication link  154  to bank  140 . It should be recognized that automated teller machine  130  and bank  140  are just two examples of the types of places in which payments may be made and codes received by a user. However, these may be replaced by any other place or apparatus in which payment can be made and transferred to the finance company and codes can be received by the automated code delivery computer. For example, these types of places include convenience stores, grocery stores and check cashing stores, and will be referred to herein as a convenient payment receiving center.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method performed by the automated code delivery computer. Initially, the automated code delivery computer determines whether it has received a request from a user for a code (step  210 ). The request from the user will be received by the automated code delivery computer from a convenient payment receiving center. If the automated code delivery computer has not received a request for a code (“NO” path out of decision step  210 ), then the automated code delivery computer continues to wait for a user request. If, however, the automated code delivery computer has received a user request for a code (“YES” path out of decision step  210 ), then it is determined whether the automated code delivery computer has received payment verification from the finance company (step  220 ). If the automated code delivery computer has not received payment verification from the finance company (“NO” path out of decision step  220 ), then the automated code delivery computer informs the user that payment has not been received (step  230 ). More specifically, the automated code delivery computer informs the convenient payment receiving center, which in turn, informs the user.  
         [0022]    If it is determined that the automated code delivery computer has received payment verification from the finance company (“YES” path out of decision step  220 ), then the previous code released to the user by the automated code delivery computer is determined (step  240 ). Next the automated code delivery computer determines whether the payment verification indicates that more than one payment has been received (step  250 ). If the automated code delivery computer determines that more than one payment has not been received (“NO” path out of decision step  250 ), then the automated code delivery computer provides the code subsequent to the previously released code to the user (step  260 ). More specifically, the automated code delivery computer provides the code to the convenient payment receiving center which provides the code to the user. If, however, the automated code delivery computer determines that the payment verification indicates that more than one payment has been received (“YES” path out of decision step  250 ), then the automated code delivery computer provides the number of codes subsequent to the previously released code corresponding to the number of payments received by the finance company (step  270 ).  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary method performed by a convenient payment receiving center in accordance with the present invention. Initially, a convenient payment receiving center determines whether the user is providing payment (step  305 ). If the user is providing payment (“YES” path out of decision step  305 ), then the convenient payment receiving center determines whether it has received more than one payment (step  310 ). If the convenient payment receiving center determines that it has not received more than one payment (“NO” path out of decision step  310 ), then the convenient payment receiving center will forward the payment to the finance company (step  315 ). If, however, the convenient payment receiving center determines that more than one payment has been received (“YES” path out of decision step  310 ), the convenient payment receiving center will forward the amount of the total payments received to the finance company along with an indication of the number of payments being transmitted (step  320 ).  
         [0024]    If the convenient payment receiving center determines that the user is not providing payment (“NO” path out of decision step  305 ), then the convenient payment receiving center determines whether the user is requesting a code (step  325 ). If it is determined that the user is not requesting a code (“NO” path out of decision step  325 ), then the convenient payment receiving center returns to determine whether the user is providing payment (step  305 ). If the convenient payment receiving center determines that the user is requesting a code (“YES” path out of decision step  325 ), then the convenient payment receiving center sends a request for codes to the automated code delivery computer (step  330 ).  
         [0025]    Next the convenient payment receiving center determines whether the automated code delivery computer has provided a code (step  335 ). If it is determined that the automated code delivery computer has not provided a code (“NO” path out of decision step  335 ), then the convenient payment receiving center informs the user that there are no outstanding codes to be received (step  340 ). If, however, the automated code delivery has provided at least one code “YES” path out of decision step  335 ), then it is determined whether more than one code has been provided (step  345 ). If it is determined that more than one code has been provided (“YES” path out of decision step  345 ), then the convenient payment receiving center provides all the received codes to the user (step  350 ). If, however, more than one code has not been provided (“NO” path out of decision step  345 ), then the received code is provided to the user (step  355 ).  
         [0026]    Although not illustrated in FIG. 3, the method can also include the steps of: the user inputting the code into a time-based equipment disablement device; the time based disablement device comparing the code received from the user with codes stored in memory; and if there is a match, storing an indication in the time-based disablement device that the code has been entered, thereby allowing the user to operate the equipment associated with the time-based disablement device until the date and/or time associated with a code which has not been entered has occurred. In addition, the method can include the steps of: determining whether a date and/or time has occurred; if the date and/or time has occurred, determining whether a code associated with the date and/or time has been input into the time-based equipment disablement device; disabling the equipment if the code has not been previously entered; and allowing the equipment to operate if the code has been previously entered. Further, the disablement device can include a plurality of lights, e.g., light emitting diodes, to indicate if the end of a payment period is upcoming. For example, a green light would indicate that no payment is due, a yellow light would indicate that a payment is due shortly, and a red light would indicate that a payment is due immediately or the equipment will be disabled. Further, the lights can blink at an increasing frequency the closer in time it is to a payment due deadline.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method performed by the finance company in accordance with the present invention. Initially, the finance company determines whether it has received a payment (step  410 ). If the finance company has not received a payment (“NO” path out of decision step  410 ), then the finance company continues to determine whether it has received a payment. If, however, the finance company has received a payment (“YES” path out of decision step  410 ), then the finance company logs the payment in their own records (step  420 ). Next it is determined whether more than one payment has been received (step  430 ). If not more than one payment has been received (“NO” path out of decision step  430 ), then the finance company provides an indication to the automated code delivery computer that one payment has been received (step  440 ). If more than one payment has been received (“YES” path out of decision step  430 ), then the finance company provides an indication to the automated code delivery computer of the number of payments received (step  450 ).  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary automated code delivery computer in accordance with the present invention. The automated code delivery computer includes a monitor  510 , processor  520 , memory  530 , storage device  540 , network access card  550 , modem  560 , keyboard  570  and mouse  580 . The computer communicates with the finance company and the convenient payment receiving center either via modem  560  or using network access card  550 . The computer communicates using modem  560  if the computer is connected to the finance company or the convenient payment receiving center via the public switched telephone network (PSTN), an integrated services digital network (ISDN), a coaxial cable or the like. The computer communicates using network access card  550  if the computer is connected to the finance company or the convenient payment receiving center via a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN) or the like. Using either modem  560  or network access card  550 , the computer can be connected to either the finance company or the convenient payment receiving center via the Internet.  
         [0029]    The processor  520 , in conjunction with memory  530 , operates to perform the functions of determining whether an indication has been provided by the finance company that one or more payments have been received, determining the previous code released to the user and determining whether the payment verification indicates that more than one payment has been received. The processor  520  can be a microprocessor manufactured by companies such as Sun Microsystems, Intel or Advanced Microdevices. The storage device  540  stores the indications of payments received from the finance company and stores the codes which are released to the user. Although storage device  540  is illustrated as a single device located inside of the computer, it will be recognized that the storage device can be more than one device and that the storage device can be external to the computer. Although the automated code delivery computer is illustrated as including a monitor  510 , keyboard  570  and mouse  580 , it will be recognized that these are not required and may be omitted. For example, if the automated code delivery computer is setup as a server in a computer network the monitor  510 , keyboard  570  and mouse  580  are not required for the proper functioning of the computer.  
         [0030]    Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in connection with particular types of vehicle disablement devices, it will be recognized that the present invention is equally applicable to any type of vehicle disablement devices. Further, although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in connection with a vehicle disablement device, it will be recognized that the present invention is equally applicable to any type of disablement device. Additionally, although exemplary embodiments of the present invention were described in connection with loan payments, the present invention is equally applicable to any other type of financing arrangements including leases and the like.  
         [0031]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with clear and concise language and with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof including the best mode anticipated by the inventors, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited by the description of the exemplary embodiments contained therein.