AUTOMATED EXCHANGE FOR DETERMINING AVAILABILITY OF ASSETS SHAREABLE AMONG ENTITIES

摘要

An automated exchange for determining the availability of mobile assets (10) that are shareable among mobile asset users. The automated exchange includes a plurality of mobile asset (10) sources for providing mobile assets of one or more types, a data center for providing the availability status of each mobi le asset, and asset status and availability inputs having communication connection (11) to the data center (20). The asset status and availability inputs include mobile asset sensors (41), asset monitoring sensors (40), manual inputs (52), and asset status and availability record. A processor (2 1) located at the data center determines the availability of each mobile asset using the status and availability input data. The processor also receives an d processes requests for available mobile assets. A user computer having a communication link to the data center provides user access to information relating to the availability of the mobile assets and user interface to request for available mobile assets. The data center may be connected to an intermediary business entity. The intermediary business entity also facilitates and automates recurring rental transactions and exchanges among long-term users and mobile asset sources. The intermediary business entity also may form a contractual relationship with the users and mobile asset sources to broker transactions using the asset status and availability information from the data center and provide periodic transaction balance an d billing statements.