Vehicle related services system and methodology

Abstract

A vehicle-related services system and methodology employing at least one sensor automatically sensing at least one of the time during which a vehicle is not being operated and where the vehicle is located when it is not being operated and at least one data processor receiving information sensed by the sensor, indicating at least one of the time during which the vehicle is not being operated and where the vehicle is located when it is not being operated and providing a billing data output in respect of a vehicle-related service which is dependent on at least one of the time during which the vehicle is not being operated and where the vehicle is located when it is not being operated.

1 - 63 . (canceled)  
   
   
       64 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees comprising: 
 employing a vehicle mounted sensor for providing vehicle driving characteristic independent, time of vehicle operation reports; and    charging vehicle insurance fees based on said vehicle driving characteristic independent, time of vehicle operation reports.    
   
   
       65 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 64  and wherein said time of vehicle operation reports comprise at least one of: 
 reports indicating the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and    reports indicating the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.    
   
   
       66 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 64  and wherein only said time of vehicle operation reports are both received from said vehicle and used for charging vehicle insurance fees.  
   
   
       67 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 64  and also comprising employing at least one vehicle mounted storage facility for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports.  
   
   
       68 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 67  and also comprising communicating said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle to a location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       69 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 64  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of vehicle electrical power.  
   
   
       70 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 68  and wherein said communicating employs a cellular network.  
   
   
       71 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 68  and wherein said communicating includes initially communicating said reports from said vehicle to at least one of a plurality of intermediate communication units and thereafter communicating said reports from said plurality of intermediate communication units to said location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       72 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 71  and wherein said plurality of intermediate communication units is operative for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports from multiple vehicles before communicating them to said location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       73 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 72  and wherein at least one of said plurality of intermediate communication units is located at a vehicle fueling station.  
   
   
       74 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 66  and also comprising communicating said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle to a location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       75 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 66  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of vehicle electrical power.  
   
   
       76 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 74  and wherein said communicating includes initially communicating said reports from said vehicle to at least one of a plurality of intermediate communication units and thereafter communicating said reports from said plurality of intermediate communication units to said location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       77 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees comprising: 
 a vehicle mounted sensor for providing vehicle driving characteristic independent, time of vehicle operation reports; and    a fee processor, charging vehicle insurance fees based on said vehicle driving characteristic independent, time of vehicle operation reports.    
   
   
       78 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 77  and wherein said time of vehicle operation reports comprise at least one of: 
 reports indicating the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and    reports indicating the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.    
   
   
       79 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 77  and wherein only said time of vehicle operation reports are both provided by a vehicle mounted sensor and used by said fee processor for charging vehicle insurance fees.  
   
   
       80 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 77  and also comprising at least one vehicle mounted storage facility for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports.  
   
   
       81 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 77  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of a vehicle electrical system.  
   
   
       82 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 80  and also comprising a vehicle mounted communicator operative to transmit said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle for use by said fee processor.  
   
   
       83 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 82  and wherein said vehicle mounted communicator is operative in association with a cellular network.  
   
   
       84 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 82  and also comprising at least one intermediate communication unit operative to receive said time of vehicle operation reports from said communicator and to retransmit them to said fee processor which is located remotely from said at least one intermediate communication unit.  
   
   
       85 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 84  and wherein said at least one intermediate communication unit includes storage functionality for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports from multiple vehicles before retransmitting them to said fee processor.  
   
   
       86 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 85  and wherein said at least one of intermediate communication units is located at a vehicle fueling station.  
   
   
       87 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 79  and also comprising a vehicle mounted communicator to transmit said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle for use by said fee processor.  
   
   
       88 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 79  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of a vehicle electrical system.  
   
   
       89 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 87  and also comprising at least one intermediate communication unit operative to receive said time of vehicle operation reports from said communicator and to retransmit them to said fee processor which is located remotely from said at least one intermediate communication unit.  
   
   
       90 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees comprising: 
 employing a vehicle mounted sensor for providing vehicle location independent, time of vehicle operation reports; and    charging vehicle insurance fees based on said vehicle location independent, time of vehicle operation reports.    
   
   
       91 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 90  and wherein said time of vehicle operation reports comprise at least one of: 
 reports indicating the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and    reports indicating the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.    
   
   
       92 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 90  and wherein only said time of vehicle operation reports are both received from said vehicle and used for charging vehicle insurance fees.  
   
   
       93 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 90  and also comprising employing at least one vehicle mounted storage facility for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports.  
   
   
       94 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 93  and also comprising communicating said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle to a location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       95 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 90  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of vehicle electrical power.  
   
   
       96 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 94  and wherein said communicating employs a cellular network.  
   
   
       97 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 94  and wherein said communicating includes initially communicating said reports from said vehicle to at least one of a plurality of intermediate communication units and thereafter communicating said reports from said plurality of intermediate communication units to said location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       98 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 97  and wherein said plurality of intermediate communication units is operative for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports from multiple vehicles before communicating them to said location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       99 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 98  and wherein at least one of said plurality of intermediate communication units is located at a vehicle fueling station.  
   
   
       100 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 92  and also comprising communicating said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle to a location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       101 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 92  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of vehicle electrical power.  
   
   
       102 . A method for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 100  and wherein said communicating includes initially communicating said reports from said vehicle to at least one of a plurality of intermediate communication units and thereafter communicating said reports from said plurality of intermediate communication units to said location external of said vehicle.  
   
   
       103 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees comprising: 
 a vehicle mounted sensor for providing vehicle location independent, time of vehicle operation reports; and    a fee processor, charging vehicle insurance fees based on said vehicle location independent, time of vehicle operation reports.    
   
   
       104 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 103  and wherein time of vehicle operation reports comprise at least one of: 
 reports indicating the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and    reports indicating the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.    
   
   
       105 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 103  and wherein only said time of vehicle operation reports are both provided by a vehicle mounted sensor and used by said fee processor for charging vehicle insurance fees.  
   
   
       106 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 103  and also comprising at least one vehicle mounted storage facility for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports.  
   
   
       107 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 103  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of a vehicle electrical system.  
   
   
       108 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 106  and also comprising a vehicle mounted communicator operative to transmit said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle for use by said fee processor.  
   
   
       109 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 108  and wherein said vehicle mounted communicator is operative in association with a cellular network.  
   
   
       110 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 108  and also comprising at least one intermediate communication unit operative to receive said time of vehicle operation reports from said communicator and to retransmit them to said fee processor which is located remotely from said at least one intermediate communication unit.  
   
   
       111 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 110  and wherein said at least one intermediate communication unit includes storage functionality for storing a plurality of said time of vehicle operation reports from multiple vehicles before retransmitting them to said fee processor.  
   
   
       112 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 111  and wherein said at least one intermediate communication unit is located at a vehicle fueling station.  
   
   
       113 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 105  and also comprising a vehicle mounted communicator to transmit said time of vehicle operation reports from said vehicle for use by said fee processor.  
   
   
       114 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 105  and wherein said vehicle mounted sensor is operative independently of a vehicle electrical system.  
   
   
       115 . A system for administering payment of vehicle insurance fees according to  claim 113  and also comprising at least one intermediate communication unit operative to receive said time of vehicle operation reports from said communicator and to retransmit them to said fee processor which is located remotely from said at least one intermediate communication unit.  
   
   
       116 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method comprising: 
 sensing time of vehicle operation at a plurality of vehicles;    when each one of said plurality of vehicles is located in the vicinity of at least one of a multiplicity of download locations, downloading time of vehicle operation information from said vehicles;    communicating said information from said multiplicity of download locations to a location remote therefrom; and    receiving said information at said location remote from said multiplicity of download locations and charging vehicle insurance fees based on said time of vehicle operation.    
   
   
       117 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method according to  claim 116  and wherein said time of vehicle operation comprises at least one of: 
 the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and    the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.    
   
   
       118 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method according to  claim 116  and wherein at least some of said multiplicity of download locations are a vehicle refueling locations.  
   
   
       119 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method according to  claim 116  and wherein said communicating said information from said multiplicity of download locations to a location remote therefrom employs at least one composite message.  
   
   
       120 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method according to  claim 119  and wherein said at least one composite message includes information relating to more than one of said plurality of vehicles.  
   
   
       121 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method according to  claim 116  and wherein said communicating said information from said multiplicity of download locations to a location remote therefrom takes place at least partially not in real time with respect to said downloading.  
   
   
       122 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment method according to  claim 116  and wherein said sensing employs at least one sensor which is not connected to an electrical system of said vehicle.  
   
   
       123 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system comprising: 
 at least one sensor on-board each of a plurality of vehicles for automatically sensing at least time of vehicle operation;    a communicator on-board each of said plurality of vehicles, said communicator being operative when said vehicle is located at one of a multiplicity of download locations for downloading information sensed by said at least one sensor to a corresponding one of a multiplicity of intermediate communication units located at said one of said multiplicity of download locations, said multiplicity of intermediate communication units receiving said information from a plurality of said communicators on-board a corresponding plurality of said vehicles and communicating said information to a remote location; and    a vehicle related fee data processor receiving said information and being operative for providing a vehicle insurance fee payment data output at least partially based on said information.    
   
   
       124 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system according to  claim 123  and wherein said time of vehicle operation comprises at least one of: 
 the time duration when the vehicle is being operated; and    the time of day or night when the vehicle is being operated.    
   
   
       125 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system according to  claim 123  and wherein at least one of said multiplicity of download locations is a vehicle refueling location.  
   
   
       126 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system according to  claim 123  and wherein said multiplicity of intermediate communication units communicate said information in at least one composite message to said remote location.  
   
   
       127 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system according to  claim 126  and wherein said at least one composite message includes information relating to multiple ones of said vehicles.  
   
   
       128 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system according to  claim 123  and wherein said multiplicity of intermediate communication units communicate said information at least partially not in real time with respect to downloading thereof from said plurality of said vehicles.  
   
   
       129 . A vehicle related insurance fee payment system according to  claim 123  and wherein said at least one sensor is not connected to an electrical system of said vehicle.