Mobile Device Road Usage Charge Calculation Without GPS Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The decline in fuel excise tax revenues due to increased vehicle efficiency and the rise of electric vehicles has led to a need for alternative revenue sources for road maintenance, with a road usage charge being proposed, but concerns over privacy arise from the use of GPS tracking devices.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a mobile device to detect a vehicle's PAN beacon, pair with it, and determine distance traveled, allowing for a road usage charge to be calculated without the need for GPS tracking, by utilizing a mobile device's GPS receiver and optical character recognition of odometer images to ensure accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS tracking devices are installed in vehicles to determine distance traveled for road usage charges, then measurement precision of distance is improved, but privacy protection deteriorates due to continuous tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the distance measurement function from continuous GPS tracking and implements it through periodic odometer photographing. Instead of continuously monitoring vehicle position via GPS, the system only captures odometer readings at intermittent intervals, thereby obtaining necessary distance data while minimizing privacy intrusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses disposable mobile device photographs of the odometer instead of permanent GPS tracking infrastructure. Each photograph is a temporary, single-use record that captures distance information without establishing ongoing surveillance, reducing the privacy impact while maintaining measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If additional hardware such as GPS devices is installed in vehicles to enable road usage charge calculation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the multi-functionality of mobile devices that drivers already possess. The mobile device serves multiple purposes: it photographs the odometer, transmits the image, and enables distance calculation, eliminating the need for dedicated GPS hardware installation in vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's existing odometer display as the measurement instrument, eliminating the need for additional sensing hardware. The odometer, which already exists in the vehicle, serves the dual purpose of its traditional function and as the measurement source for road usage charges.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If odometer photographs are used to determine distance traveled, then privacy protection is improved by avoiding GPS tracking, but measurement precision may deteriorate due to potential reading errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback through periodic photographing and verification of odometer readings. By capturing images at multiple time points and comparing successive readings, the system can verify distance measurements and correct potential errors, ensuring precision while maintaining privacy protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for determining a distance travelled by a vehicle for the purpose of assessing and settling a road usage charge allows for determining a distance travelled with a vehicle. A mobile device can acquire odometer values which are subsequently reported to a system that confirms the distance drive and determines a road usage charge. Once the actual distance travelled by the vehicle is determined by the system, a road usage charge can be determined. Fuel excise taxes paid by the vehicle operator for fuel used by the vehicle and tolls can be subtracted from the road usage charge to determine a road usage settlement amount that can be paid from, or refunded to a financial account associated with the vehicle.