Payment of highway tolls via a mobile telecommunications network

摘要

Disclosed are method and apparatus for processing of highway toll payments by a mobile telecommunications service provider. A mobile telecommunications device communicates with a mobile telecommunications service provider. The mobile telecommunications service provider receives a request to calculate a route to a destination. The mobile telecommunications service provider determines the location of the mobile telecommunications device from a global navigation satellite system or from a mobile telecommunications network and calculates a route. The mobile telecommunications service provider then identifies toll booths along the calculated route. The mobile telecommunications service provider pre-pays the tolls. The mobile telecommunications service provider sends turn-by-turn instructions to the mobile telecommunications device and tracks the location of the mobile telecommunications device and records the date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through a toll booth.

主权项

1. A method for processing payment of tolls by a mobile telecommunications service provider, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a starting location of a mobile telecommunications device; receiving, by the processor, a destination; calculating, by the processor, a route from the starting location to the destination to generate a calculated route; identifying, by the processor, a toll plaza comprising toll booths along the calculated route prior to the mobile telecommunications device arriving at the toll plaza; recording, by the processor, based on a message from the mobile telecommunications device received at one of a plurality of microcell transceivers integrated into a mobile telecommunications network of the mobile telecommunications service provider and located in the vicinity of a respective toll booth, a date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through the respective toll booth to generate a recorded date and time; receiving, by the processor, a recorded toll transaction; comparing, by the processor, the recorded date and time with the recorded toll transaction; and upon determining a discrepancy between the recorded date and time and the recorded toll transaction, resolving, by the processor, the discrepancy.