METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A TOLL SERVICE AND FLEXIBLE TOLL DEVICE

摘要

A system, mobile device, backend server, and RFID toll module work in cooperation to automatically pay vehicular tolls to a toll agency that operates toll stations along a roadways traveled by the user of the mobile device. Upon approaching a toll station the mobile device enables the RFID toll module. The toll reader at the toll station transmits a toll reader signal that is received by the RFID toll module, which responds by transmitting a unique identifier. The unique identifier is associated with the mobile device at a toll account maintained by a toll service backend server. Upon completion of a toll transaction, the RFID toll module indicates the transaction to the mobile device, which forwards toll transaction information to the toll service backend server for payment from the toll account to the toll agency.

主权项

1. A system for automated payment of tolls, comprising:
a toll reader at a toll station; a RFID toll module that is coupled to a mobile device, the mobile device executing a toll application, the RFID toll module including at least one RFID tag that is configured to communicate with the toll reader using a RFID protocol for a toll transaction, wherein the at least one RFID tag communicates an identifier to the toll reader in response to being read by the toll reader during the toll transaction, wherein the RFID toll module communicates transaction information to the toll application on the mobile device upon completion of the toll transaction; and a toll service backend server that maintains a toll account associated with the mobile device, and to which the toll application on the mobile device communicates the transaction information; and wherein the toll service backend reconciles payment of the toll with a toll agency that operates the toll reader, using funds from the toll account.