Patent ID: 8775236

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of identifying a vehicle in a toll system, the method comprising: accessing image data for a vehicle transacting with a toll system; obtaining first vehicle identifier data from the accessed image data for the transacting vehicle; accessing a set of records that includes first vehicle identifier data for vehicles; executing, using at least one processing device, an algorithm to: compare the first vehicle identifier data for the transacting vehicle with the first vehicle identifier data for vehicles in the set of records, and identify a set of vehicle candidates from the vehicles having records in the set of records, wherein the identified set of vehicle candidates excludes at least one vehicle having a record in the set of records; and selecting, from the set of vehicle candidates, a vehicle candidate as corresponding to the transacting vehicle by: accessing second vehicle identifier data for the transacting vehicle, the second vehicle identifier data being data for identifying a vehicle that is distinct from first vehicle identifier data, accessing second vehicle identifier data for a vehicle candidate in the set of vehicle candidates, comparing, using the at least one processing device, the second vehicle identifier data for the transacting vehicle with the second vehicle identifier data for the vehicle candidate in the set of vehicle candidates, and identifying the vehicle candidate in the set of vehicle candidates as the transacting vehicle based on results of the comparison of second vehicle identifier data, wherein executing the algorithm to compare the first vehicle identifier data for the transacting vehicle with the first vehicle identifier data for vehicles in the set of records includes: searching a vehicle record database for records that include first vehicle identifier data that exactly match the first vehicle identifier data obtained for the transacting vehicle, and performing an extended search of the vehicle record database for records that include first vehicle identifier data that nearly match the first vehicle identifier data obtained for the transacting vehicle, the extended search being conditioned on no vehicle identification records being found that include first vehicle identifier data that exactly match the first vehicle identifier data obtained for the transacting vehicle.