Method and Apparatus for Mobile Rental of Vehicles

Abstract

A system for mobile rental of vehicles is provided. The system stores reservation information associated with a customer reservation of a rental vehicle, including a rental return location. During a process for returning the rental vehicle, the system causes the customer's mobile device to share its GPS location information, and uses the shared mobile device GPS location to automatically confirm that the customer is at the rental return location. The system can calculate the distance between the mobile device GPS location and the rental return location to determine whether to instruct the customer to move the vehicle and can confirm that the customer is at the rental return location if the mobile device location is within a pre-defined minimum distance from the rental return location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for mobile rental of vehicles, the method comprising:
 storing in a non-transitory computer database rental transaction information associated with a customer for reservation of a rental vehicle for a rental time period, wherein the computer database is accessible by a rental management computer system and wherein the stored rental transaction information includes a rental return location;   after the reservation of the rental vehicle has been is activated:   with the rental management computer system automatically:
 causing a mobile device to display a user interface element to begin a process for returning the rental vehicle; 
 in response to the selection of the user interface element on the mobile device, causing the mobile device to share the mobile device GPS location information with the rental management computer system; and 
 using the shared mobile device GPS location information to automatically confirm that the customer is at the rental return location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein using the shared mobile device GPS location information to automatically confirm that the customer is at the rental return location includes confirming that the customer is at the rental return location if the mobile device location is within a pre-defined minimum distance from the rental return location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of using the shared mobile device GPS location information to automatically confirm that the customer is at the rental return location includes automatically comparing the shared mobile device GPS location information with the rental return location information and calculating the distance between the GPS location and the rental return location to determine whether to instruct the customer to move the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, with the rental management computer system, prompting the customer to use the mobile computer device to capture image information for confirming the accuracy of mileage information or fuel level information for the rental vehicle being returned and to send the image information to the rental computer system, wherein the image information includes an image of a mileage display or a fuel level display of the rental vehicle and time and date information associated with the image. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising, after the reservation of the rental vehicle has been activated, with the rental management computer system prompting the customer to use the mobile computer device to send to the rental management computer system information regarding damage to the rental vehicle incurred since the beginning of the rental time period. 
     
     
         6 . A rental management computer system for mobile rental of vehicles, the system comprising:
 a database operative to store—information associated with a customer for a reservation of a rental vehicle, wherein the stored information includes a rental return location;   an input component of a website operative to receive information from a mobile device, including image information and GPS information; and   a processor operative to, after the reservation of the rental vehicle has been activated:
 automatically cause the mobile device to display to the customer a user interface element to begin a process for returning the rental vehicle; 
 in response to the selection of the user interface element on the mobile device, cause the mobile device to share the mobile device GPS location information with the rental management computer system, and 
 use the shared mobile device GPS location information to automatically confirm that the customer is at the rental return location. 
   
     
     
         7 . The rental management computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is operative to automatically confirm that the customer is at the rental return location if the mobile device location is within a pre-defined minimum distance from the rental return location. 
     
     
         8 . The rental management computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further operative to automatically compare the GPS location information from the mobile device with the rental return location information and calculate the distance between the GPS location and the rental return location to determine whether to instruct the customer to move the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The rental management computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is operative to automatically prompt the customer to use the mobile device to capture image information for confirming the accuracy of mileage information or fuel level information for the rental vehicle being returned and to send the image information to the rental computer system, wherein the image information includes an image of the mileage or fuel level displays of the rental vehicle and time and date information associated with the image. 
     
     
         10 . The rental management computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is operative to automatically prompt the customer to use the mobile device to send to the rental management computer system information regarding any damage to the rental vehicle incurred since the beginning of the rental time period.