Vehicle traffic and vehicle related transaction control system

Abstract

A location enabled mobile wireless device and central system cooperate to provide traffic control such as vehicle inspection site services and toll station services. Traffic control information such as vehicle inspection site information and toll station information is independently processed by a third party provider and sent to the central system. The mobile wireless device monitors its location and sends location and vehicle related information to the central system. The central system compares data from the third party provider and the mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device or the central system take an action based on the comparison, such as toll payment or vehicle inspection site operations.

1 . A method of vehicle traffic control using a central processing system connected to a telecommunications network, the method comprising:
 receiving a first dataset from a mobile wireless device upon the mobile wireless device entering a pre-defined geographic area;   comparing at least a portion of the first dataset with a second dataset from a third party provider; and   taking one or more actions based on the comparing step.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the first dataset comprises location data obtained by monitoring location of the mobile wireless device and vehicle related information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  in which receiving the first dataset comprises downloading from the mobile wireless device to the central processing system the first dataset containing the location data and vehicle related information through a web service. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  or  3  in which the mobile wireless device is carried by a vehicle, the location data comprises vehicle location data and the second dataset comprises rule based data related to the movement of vehicles along roads. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  in which the second dataset is obtained by the central processing system downloading from the third party provider to the central processing system using a web service a second file containing the second dataset. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  or  5  in which:
 the second dataset comprises toll information; 
 the vehicle location data specifies the presence of the vehicle at a toll location; and 
 taking one or more actions includes initiating a toll payment to a toll service provider. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  in which the toll service provider is the third party provider. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  or  7  further comprising:
 the central processing system using the vehicle location data to estimate a toll charge related to the presence of the vehicle at the toll location; and 
 deducting the toll charge from an account related to the mobile wireless device. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  in which taking one or more actions comprises associating the toll charge to the toll payment and adjusting the users account when the toll charge differs from the toll payment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4  or  5  in which:
 the second dataset comprises safety rules; 
 the vehicle location data specifies the presence of the vehicle at a vehicle inspection site; and 
 taking one or more actions includes sending a signal to the mobile wireless device indicative of whether the vehicle is permitted to bypass the vehicle inspection site. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  in which taking one or more actions comprises sending a notification to a law enforcement service. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  in which taking one or more actions comprises initiating a toll payment. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising uploading to the mobile wireless device a set of instructions for:
 periodically obtaining a location of the mobile wireless device; and 
 comparing the location to a set of stored geographic areas. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  in which the mobile wireless device is carried by a vehicle, and the set of instructions includes instructions for communicating vehicle related information to the central processing system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4  or  5  in which:
 the vehicle location data specifies the presence of the vehicle at a roadside sensor location; 
 the second dataset includes data produced by one or more sensors at the roadside sensor location; and 
 taking one or more actions includes recording an association between the vehicle and the data produced by the one or more sensors at the roadside sensor location. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  in which the one or more sensors at the roadside sensor location produce data concerning vehicles in a first lane, and one or more additional sensors detect vehicles in a second lane at the roadside sensor location, and the association between the vehicle and the data produced by the one or more sensors at the roadside sensor location is recorded depending on the lack of detection of a vehicle in the second lane by the one or more additional sensors. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  in which:
 the one or more sensors at the roadside sensor location produce data concerning vehicles in a first lane; 
 the mobile wireless device produces a radio identification signal; 
 one or more additional sensors detect the radio identification signal and record the strength of the radio identification signal; and 
 the association between the vehicle and the set of data produced by the one or more sensors at the roadside sensor location is recorded depending at least in part on the record of the strength of the radio identification signal. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 4  or  5  in which:
 the mobile wireless device produces a radio identification signal; 
 the second dataset comprises data concerning detection of and the strength of the radio identification signal at a receiver at a toll location; 
 the vehicle location data specifies the presence of the vehicle at the toll location; and 
 taking one or more actions includes initiating a toll payment to a toll service provider. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 4  or  5  in which:
 the mobile wireless device produces a radio identification signal; 
 the second dataset comprises data concerning detection of and the strength of the radio identification signal at a receiver at atoll location; 
 the vehicle location data specifies the presence of the vehicle at the toll location; and 
 taking one or more actions includes opening a toll gate. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  in which the second dataset comprises parking related information and taking an action comprises forwarding parking directions to the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  in which the second dataset comprises information on a traffic related problem and taking an action comprises sending traffic related information to the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         22 . A method of vehicle traffic control using a central processing system connected to a telecommunications network, the method comprising:
 receiving from a mobile wireless device, upon the mobile wireless device entering a geographic area, location data obtained by monitoring the location of the mobile wireless device;   generating an ID code and sending it to the mobile wireless device;   receiving, at an electronic device located at a toll gate, the generated ID code; and   in response to receiving the generated ID code at the electronic device, opening the toll gate.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the central processing system initiating a toll payment to a toll payment service provider when the ID code is generated. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising the central processing system receiving confirmation that the generated ID code was received at the electronic device and initiating a toll payment to a toll payment service provider upon receiving confirmation that the generated ID code was received at the electronic device. 
     
     
         25 . A method of vehicle movement control, comprising:
 while a mobile wireless devices being carried in a moving vehicle, periodically obtaining a location of the mobile wireless device;   comparing the location to a set of stored geographic areas;   when the location of the mobile wireless device is within any one of the set of geographic areas, communicating vehicle related information and vehicle location information to a central processing system;   receiving at the mobile wireless device a message from the central processing system; and   taking an action based on the message.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  in which obtaining a location comprises utilizing a GPS receiver onboard the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  in which the central processing system comprises a vehicle screening system for determining whether the vehicle should stop at a vehicle inspection site and the geographic areas are areas around vehicle inspection sites. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  in which the stored vehicle related information comprises one or more of USDOT Number, License Plate Number, Vehicle VIN, Commercial Driver's License Number, GPS data, and electronic logs. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  in which the mobile wireless device comprises a computing system installed in a vehicle. 
     
     
         30 . The method of any one of  claims 27 - 29  in which communicating vehicle related information to the central processing system comprises forwarding a bypass request. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising the message sent by the central processing system being a bypass message. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  in which taking an action comprises the vehicle bypassing a vehicle inspection site. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  in which the bypass message is a message not to bypass the weight station and further comprising monitoring compliance with the bypass message. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25  in which the geographic areas comprise toll locations and the action comprises the mobile wireless device sending a toll cancel or payment request to the central processing system. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  in which the toll cancel or payment request is activated by a single touch on the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 25  in which the message from the central processing system is indicative of a change of jurisdiction, and taking an action comprises updating stored data at the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  in which updating comprises updating the geographic areas. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 25  in which taking an action comprises sending a request to a third party provider. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  in which the third party provider is a vehicle inspection site operator. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  in which the request is a bypass request. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 25  in which the message comprises parking related information and taking an action comprises parking the vehicle. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 25  in which the message comprises information on a traffic related problem. 
     
     
         43 . A method of vehicle movement control, comprising:
 while a mobile wireless device is being carried in a moving vehicle, periodically obtaining a location of the mobile wireless device;   comparing the location to a set of stored geographic areas; and   when the location of the mobile wireless device is approaching any one of the set of geographic areas, generating a warning signal for a user of the vehicle.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43  in which the geographic areas are areas around vehicle inspection sites. 
     
     
         45 . A method of controlling a transaction related process, the method comprising:
 initiating automated notification of a transaction, where the automated notification takes place from time to time without participation of a user based upon a rule;   using a computing device to send a transaction notification to the user when the rule is activated, the computing device being set to carry out or not carry out the transaction according to a default setting of the computing device; and   enabling the computing device to change the default setting upon a user input to the computing device.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  in which the computing device is a mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45  or  46  in which the user input is a single user input. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 ,  46  or  47  in which the default setting of the device is to carry out the transaction. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45 ,  46  or  47  in which the default setting of the device is to not carry out the transaction. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 ,  47 ,  48  or  49  in which the transaction is a toll payment triggered by proximity of the mobile wireless device to a toll station. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  in which proximity of the mobile wireless device to a toll station is determined by a location system onboard the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         52 . A central processing system for connecting to a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network also capable of being connected to at least a mobile device, the at least a mobile device being configurable to transmit to the central processing system, upon the mobile device entering a pre-defined geographic area, a first dataset; the central processing system comprising:
 a server connected to the telecommunications network to receive the first dataset from the mobile device and a second dataset from a third party provider; and   the central processing system being configured to carry out the method steps of any one of  claims 1 - 21 .   
     
     
         53 . A central processing system for connecting to a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network also capable of being connected to at least a mobile device, the at least a mobile device being configurable to transmit to the central processing system, upon the mobile wireless device entering a geographic area, location data obtained by monitoring the location of the mobile wireless device, and there also being an electronic device located at a toll gate, the electronic device configured to receive an ID code generated by the central processing system; the central processing system being configured to carry out the steps of any one of  claims 22 - 24 . 
     
     
         54 . A mobile wireless device for being carried in a moving vehicle and communicating with a central processing system, the mobile wireless device having a set of stored geographic areas, the mobile wireless device being configured to carry out the method steps of any one of  claims 25 - 42 . 
     
     
         55 . A mobile wireless device for being carried in a moving vehicle, the mobile wireless device having a set of stored geographic areas, the mobile wireless device being configured to carry out the method steps of any one of  claims 43 - 44 . 
     
     
         56 . A central processing system for connecting to a computing device, the central processing system being configured to carry out the method steps of any one of  claims 45 - 51 .