Patent ID: 8872673

Claim:
An automatic electronic toll collection (ETC) identification system, comprising: an ETC control module configured as an integrated component of a vehicle; an electrical power interface receptive to an electrical power signal provided from the vehicle, the electrical power interface electrically connected to the ETC control module to provide electrical power thereto, the electrical power interface configured as an integrated component of the vehicle; a radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna electrically connected to the ETC control module, the radio frequency identification antenna responsive to the control module transmits a radio wave indicative of a unique ETC identification, the radiofrequency identification antenna configured as an integrated component of the vehicle and located to communicate the radio wave external of the vehicle; and a wireless interface communicatively coupled to the ETC control module, the wireless interface configured to receive the unique ETC identification; a user mobile communication device comprising a software application configured to receive the unique ETC identification from an ETC service provider, to store the unique ETC identification in memory within the user mobile communication device, and to control communication of the unique ETC identification; wherein the user mobile communication device and the wireless interface are configured to operate using a Bluetooth™ communication protocol to form a wireless network when the user mobile communication device is within communication range of the ETC control module, and wherein the ETC controller accesses the unique ETC identification stored in the user mobile communication device memory each time it is required for communication to an RFID reader device of the ETC identification system for toll collection, and does not store the unique ETC identification within the ETC controller.