Automated process for retailing to a vehicle occupant

Details Automated process for retailing to a vehicle occupant Automated process for retailing to a vehicle occupant

1999-02-02

2001-07-17

Trammell, James P. (Department: 2164)

Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co

Automated electrical financial or business practice or...

Transportation facility access

C705S013000, C705S065000, C705S418000, C705S041000, C705S001100, C235S375000, C235S381000, C235S384000, C380S001000, C380S029000, C380S028000, C380S262000, C340S870030, C340S870030, C186S035000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06263316

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the integration of a retail product transaction with a toll transaction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Often during the course of travel a driver, and/or other vehicle occupants, may desire a refreshment or travel aid. The driver must detour the vehicle into a rest stop or a road-side business and, in most cases, must also park and exit the vehicle to obtain a refreshment. For instance, although conventional vending machines are commonplace at travel stops and are also easy-to-use, they are designed for the pedestrian customer and cannot be accessed by the driver from within a vehicle. Some businesses, such as fast-food restaurants, may dispense their products through a drive-through window service wherein an employee takes the order, accepts the payment, and delivers the goods. However, despite the use of advance ordering techniques, these employee-intensive transactions, when combined with the cost and complexity of a typical order, are time-consuming. As a result, a driver seeking a simple refreshment during travel must suffer either an inconvenience or a travel delay, and sometimes both.
Therefore, what is needed is a system to provide the driver, and other vehicle occupants, with a quick and convenient means for purchasing refreshments and other basic consumer products for use in the course of travel. Such a system should operate under the constraints of traffic safety, space limitations, driver interfacing, and high vehicle volume and throughput.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a method and apparatus for the automated retailing of refreshments and other basic consumer products to a vehicle occupant as the vehicle passes through a toll station having an automated payment capability. Examples of such toll stations include electronic toll collection (ETC) tollbooths and parking facilities. In each case, the refreshment charge is added to, or bundled with, the toll charge and payment is automatically rendered, typically via an electronic debit from a pre-paid account, or an electronic charge to a consumer credit account. The invention thus combines two non-related transactions into a single unified transaction. This is particularly useful for customers who pass through a toll station and are therefore benefited by the time-saving features of a unified transaction.
In the preferred embodiment, the invention is incorporated into a toll station equipped with an ETC system. The ETC system utilizes an automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system to automatically identify a prepaid electronic account. The AVI system is typically deployed at the entry to a toll lane and communicates with a transponder which is carried with the vehicle and transmits an electronic account number when prompted by the AVI system. Signage in advance of, and/or at the entrance to, the toll lane indicates the available products. Preferably, a vehicle occupant places a remote order for one or more products prior to vehicle entry into the toll lane, through a transponder modified to accept a product order. The order transponder is activated upon entry into the toll lane and transmits the remote product order, together with the account number. After the primary transaction system validates the account number by checking it against a list of numbers having valid accounts, the cost of the product order is added to the primary charge and payment is rendered by an electronic debit to the prepaid account. A product dispenser, typically located within the toll lane, dispenses the ordered product(s) within reach of the driver of the vehicle.
In the cases where remote ordering is neither desirable or available, an occupant of the vehicle, typically the driver, may alternatively place a product order at an ordering interface located within the toll lane. Furthermore, in the cases where an AVI system is not employed, the automated payment may be accomplished by a variety of different methods, including credit card, debit card, or smart card. And, in certain situations, such as at highway toll lanes, the product dispenser may be located outside of the toll lane to prevent vehicle congestion.


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