Method for calculating car hire

Abstract

A system for calculating amounts of car hire owed.

1 . A method for automatically applying a plurality of reclaims to an ongoing movement cycle of a unit of railroad transport equipment, said method comprising:
 (a) a computing device receiving numerical codes each respectively associated with said ongoing movement cycle and representing statistical information about said ongoing movement cycle;   (b) said computing device receiving said plurality of reclaims for which said ongoing movement cycle is potentially eligible, each said reclaim having at least one associated parameter;   (c) said computing device selectively applying a first reclaim from said plurality of reclaims to said ongoing movement cycle based on a comparison of said numerical codes associated with said ongoing movement cycle to said at least one associated parameter of said first reclaim; and.   (d) said computing device using the applied said first reclaim to automatically select a second reclaim, from among a subset of reclaims mutually exclusive to each other and within said plurality of reclaims, to also apply to said movement cycle, where said movement cycle is eligible for each reclaim in said subset, individually, wherein reclaims in said subset are mutually exclusive to each other when selection of any one reclaim in said subset precludes selection of all others in said subset.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  where said numerical codes are received from Telerail Automated Information Networks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  where said at least one reclaim is of a type selected from a rate reclaim, a fixed time reclaim, and an up-to reclaim. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  including the steps of:
 (a) receiving numerical codes each respectively associated with one of at least two ongoing movement cycles; 
 (b) receiving at least one potential reclaim for each of said at least two ongoing movement cycles; 
 (c) said computing device selectively applying a rate reclaim to at least one of said at least two ongoing movement cycles; and 
 (d) said computing device selectively applying an up-to reclaim to a computer-selected at least one ongoing movement cycle based upon said applied rate reclaim. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  including the steps of:
 (a) receiving numerical codes each respectively associated with one of at least two ongoing movement cycles; 
 (b) receiving at least one potential reclaim for each of said at least two ongoing movement cycles; 
 (c) said computing device selectively applying a fixed time reclaim to at least one of said at least two ongoing movement cycles; and 
 (d) said computing device selectively applying an up-to reclaim to a computer-selected at least one ongoing movement cycle based upon said applied fixed time reclaim. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  where there are more than two reclaims in said subset of mutually exclusive reclaims. 
     
     
         7 . A method for automatically applying at least one reclaim to selected one or more movement cycles, each associated with a unit of railroad transport equipment, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) applying a computer-selected first reclaim to a movement cycle of a piece of railroad transport equipment from among a set of potentially-selectable reclaims; and   (b) said computing device using the selection of said first reclaim to select a second reclaim from within said set of potentially-selectable reclaims, where selection of said second reclaim depends on which reclaim was selected as said first reclaim.   
     
     
         8 . A method for automatically applying at least one reclaim to a movement cycle of a unit of railroad transport equipment, said method comprising:
 (a) receiving numerical codes each respectively associated with said movement cycle and representing statistical information about said movement cycle;   (b) receiving at least one reclaim for which said movement cycle is potentially eligible, said reclaim having at least one associated parameter;   (c) comparing, with a computing device, each said parameter to said numerical codes;   (d) said computing device selectively applying said at least one reclaim to said movement cycle based on a comparison of said numerical codes associated with said movement cycle to said at least one associated parameter; and   (e) said computing device automatically deactivating a previously-applied said at least one reclaim for which said movement cycle is eligible.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  where said numerical codes are received from Telerail Automated Information Networks. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  where said at least one reclaim is of a type selected from a rate reclaim, a fixed time reclaim, and an up-to reclaim. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , including receiving a plurality of reclaims for which said movement cycle is potentially eligible, where said computing device selectively applies more than one said reclaim to said movement cycle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  including the steps of:
 (a) receiving numerical codes each respectively associated with one of at least two movement cycles; 
 (b) receiving at least one potential reclaim for each of said at least two movement cycles; 
 (c) said computing device selectively applying a rate reclaim to at least one of said at least two movement cycles; and 
 (d) said computing device selectively applying an up-to reclaim to a computer-selected at least one movement cycle based upon said applied rate reclaim. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  including the steps of:
 (a) receiving numerical codes each respectively associated with one of at least two movement cycles; 
 (b) receiving at least one potential reclaim for each of said at least two movement cycles; 
 (c) said computing device selectively applying a fixed time reclaim to at least one of said at least two movement cycles; and 
 (d) said computing device selectively applying an up-to reclaim to a computer-selected at least one movement cycle based upon said applied fixed time reclaim.