Providing toll service for a vehicle including an on-board unit

Abstract

A system, method, and computer readable medium for toll service activation using an on-board unit in a third party transport comprises, a third party entity, a toll rental entity, and an on-board unit communicably coupled to the third party entity and to the toll rental entity, wherein the on-board unit, receives a position signal, initiates a toll service request, converts the position signal to a toll usage, and stores the position signal, the toll service request and the toll usage.

1 . A method for providing toll service to a vehicle user, the method comprising:
 installing a toll service software in an automotive navigation device of a vehicle;   wherein the automotive navigation device comprises a database communicably coupled to a processor and a network interface for wireless communications;   providing, via an interface of the automotive navigation device, a toll service option to the vehicle user;   responsive to acceptance of the toll service option by the vehicle user, activating the automotive navigation device to function as a toll service device and for communication with a toll authority computer;   utilizing a toll authority via the activated automotive navigation device;   storing toll usage data in the database of the automotive navigation device;   transferring the stored toll usage data from the database of the automotive navigation device to a computing device; and   wherein the computing device is configured to participate in billing the vehicle user a fee corresponding to a toll usage amount in response to a close transaction signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of activating is performed by at least one of:
 the vehicle user;   a third-party entity;   a toll-rental entity; and   the toll authority.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the toll authority is communicably coupled to at least one of:
 the third-party entity;   the toll-rental entity; and   the on-board computer.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automotive navigation device interface allows interaction between the vehicle user and the automotive navigation device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 sending a deactivation signal to at least one of the computing device and the automotive navigation device; and   wherein, upon receiving the deactivation signal, the automotive navigation device discontinues communication with the toll authority computer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the computing device is operational by one of the third-party entity, the toll rental entity, and the vehicle user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle user pays the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount via the automotive navigation device interface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third-party entity comprises at least one of:
 an entity that rents vehicles;   an entity that leases vehicles; and   an entity that loans vehicles.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the toll-rental entity is a stand-alone unit from the third-party entity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the toll-rental entity is integrated within the third party entity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the toll usage data comprises at least one of a toll transaction time and a vehicle license plate number. 
     
     
         12 . A method for providing toll service to a vehicle user, the method comprising:
 installing a toll service software in an automotive navigation device of a vehicle;   wherein the automotive navigation device comprises a database communicably coupled to a processor and a network interface for wireless communications;   providing, via an interface of the automotive navigation device, a toll service option to the vehicle user;   responsive to acceptance of the toll service option by the vehicle user, activating the automotive navigation device to function as a toll service device and for communication with a toll authority computer;   utilizing a toll authority via the activated automotive navigation device;   storing toll usage data in the database of the automotive navigation device;   transferring the stored toll usage data from the database of the automotive navigation device to a toll-rental entity computer; and   billing the vehicle user a fee corresponding to a toll usage amount.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount is charged to the vehicle user by the toll-rental entity computer. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the vehicle user pays the fee corresponding to the toll usage amount via an automotive navigation device interface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the toll authority is communicably coupled to at least one of:
 a third-party entity;   a toll-rental entity; and   the on-board computer.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the third-party entity comprises at least one of:
 an entity that rents vehicles;   an entity that leases vehicles; and   an entity that loans vehicles.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 sending a deactivation signal to at least one of the toll-rental entity computer and the automotive navigation device; and   wherein, upon receiving the deactivation signal, the automotive navigation device discontinues communication with the toll authority computer.   
     
     
         18 . A system for providing users an option for toll service, the system comprising:
 a vehicle;   a toll authority;   an automotive navigation device of the vehicle, the automotive navigation device comprising a network interface;   wherein the network interface allows interaction between the user and the automotive navigation device and provides, to the user, the option for the toll service utilizing the automotive navigation device;   wherein, responsive to acceptance of the toll service option by the user, the automotive navigation device is activated for functioning as a toll service device and for communication with a toll authority computer;   wherein the automotive navigation device transfers toll usage data to at least one of a third-party entity computer, a toll-rental entity computer, and a computing device of the user; and   wherein by at least one of the third-party entity computer, the toll-rental entity computer, and the computing device of the user is configured to participate in billing the user a fee corresponding to a toll usage amount.