Variable rate travel fee based upon vehicle occupancy
US8055534B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 22, 2008 |
| Grant date | Nov 8, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 6, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q50/40
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for charging travel fees or awarding benefits as a function of vehicle occupancy. Variable travel fee schedules include a plurality of different rate values, each rate value associated with ride-sharing service points of a vehicle infrastructure and vehicle occupancy counts. Occupants within a vehicle traveling via a vehicle infrastructure are counted, the counting generating discrete occupant counts correlated with the ride-sharing service points. Subsets of variable travel fee schedule rate values are selected as a function of association with discrete occupant counts and correlated ride-sharing service points. Owners, occupants or other parties associated with the vehicle are accordingly charged a travel fee or awarded a benefit as a function of the rate value subset and an amount of the vehicle traveling.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.