Fully automated vehicle rental system

Abstract

An automated vehicle rental system with individual vehicle transmitting sensors for keeping track of vehicle mileage, fill state of vehicle fuel tank, and localized position status in a rental lot. Sensors are linked to the vehicle odometer reading and to the vehicle fuel tank float sensor with compensation for types of driving and fuel fill-ups which affect float level readings. The sensors are integrated with or are linked with communicating tags operable in a defined site for ultimate communication of stored vehicle related sensor data, vehicle location and type to a central data base for automatically completely effecting check out, charges and state of vehicle readiness for renewed rental. The transmitting sensors are adapted to avoid interference between sensors of other vehicles during multiple transmissions. Also included is an in-vehicle check out and payment device operatively linkable to the transmitting sensor of the vehicle.

Description

[0001] This is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 315,071 filed May 19, 1999.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to vehicle handling and automobile rental systems and the like and particularly to systems used for effecting initial vehicle rental transactions and return of vehicles, with calculations for mileage and fuel charges and for keeping track of vehicles location and readiness at a rental site. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In the current state of the art, vehicle, and in particular automobile or car rentals require an initial check-in or rental procedure wherein the lessee provides personal and financial payment information (usually a credit card number and charge authorization) to the rental agency at a check-in counter. The information is then linked by computerized record to an available vehicle, using identification such as the vehicle license plate number, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and the like. Before each new rental the vehicle ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fully automated vehicle rental and return system (both check-in and check-out) which system includes, in every rental vehicle, a medium range (generally up to about 500 feet radius, sufficient to entirely encompass the area of a rental lot and even an arrival area outside the lot) transmitter / receiver device with memory storage means for receiving and transmitting information regarding the car rental and sensors for accurate and continuous measurement and storage of odometer reading and fuel tank levels and is able to remotely provide such information to a central billing data base without interfering with transmission from other vehicles or being interfered with by transmissions from other vehicles.

[0015] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide the sensors and transmitter / receiver device with vehicle and driver (renter) identification (and initial mileage and fuel level) to effect high level security on removal and return of the vehicle to the lot. In addition, it is an object to accurately calculate final rental charges and to personalize messages to the vehicle renter upon leaving and returning to the lot on a visible display, wherein fuel fill-ups are correlated with vehicle speed, deviations of the vehicle from horizontal (which affects fuel float readings), vehicle fill-ups and vehicle mpg values to provide fuel condition values independent of any fuel float or its position. The system can log the fuel level on checkout (rental) for comparison with check-in for use in fairly calculating the customers' charges.

Problems solved by technology

In addition, recordation of fuel level is inexact and may vary from vehicle to vehicle since a fuel level gauge is only a rough indication of fuel level and actual level may vary by as much as a gallon or two and a customer is not charged or credited with the appropriate fuel usage charges.

In addition, there is only a rudimentary estimate regarding readiness of vehicles and vehicle types available for rental.

There is also currently no viable method other than a manual one for determining location of specific vehicles in a rental location or the states of readiness of such vehicles for rental.

Furthermore, security of vehicles with correlation between specific vehicle and authorized user is subject to break-down with current methods of security.

However, because of the necessity of an annunciator for operation there are numerous limitations: In the described system, a returned car must proceed to a specific return area modified with the annunciator and local computerized system.

Because of such limitations, returns take longer to be processed and the system requires a local processor to close out a transaction.

In addition the system has no effective way of preventing RF interference between simultaneous returns.

However, the system disclosed therein makes no provision for the operative function of multiple vehicles transmitting simultaneously to the same base station or host computer, with interference and false or missed readings engendered thereby.

In addition, while absolute values of fuel tank contents are obtainable, factors, such as fuel float sensor position which often contribute to false readings are not always compensated for.

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