Abstract: Mobile devices are each associated with a respective toll account and are also configured to periodically report their location and related information while traveling in a vehicle, which is used to determine any applicable toll fees. In order to avoid assessing the toll fee to each account, a server of a tolling service first identifies mobile devices that are traveling together based on the location information, and then determines which of the mobile devices, if any, has indicated that it is connected to the vehicle audio system. The account associated with the mobile device connected to the vehicle audio system will be assessed the full toll fee, and the accounts associated with the other mobile devices will not be charged.

Abstract: Location polygons are defined along traffic lanes and parking spaces to facilitate determination of the location of a vehicle relative to features associated with the location polygons. The location polygons are used, in one application, to identity entrance and exit of a special toll lane along a roadway, and to ensure that the vehicle properly enters and exits the tolling lane. The location polygons define geofenced regions, and each definition for a geofenced region can include one or more rules that are used to evaluate location information reported by a user's equipment. The rules dictate whether an action it taken or inhibited, such as charging a toll or not charging a toll, based on other location information reported by the user's equipment.

Abstract: A mobile device periodically determines its location and compares its location to a set of user-authorized geofenced region definitions. The proximity to any of the geofenced regions, as determines how often the mobile device determines its location (location sampling), and how it handles location information. Initially, when the mobile device is well outside of any of the geofenced regions a low location sampling rate is used. When the mobile device is within any of the geofenced regions, location information is transmitted, generally, to a backend server over a network. When the mobile device is not within any of the geofenced regions, transmission of location information can be inhibited. Further, when the mobile device is within a threshold distance of one of the geofenced regions, the sampling rate can be increased.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A tolling system is operable to reduce the number of manual reviews of a toll point images needed to process toll fee charges by separately reporting from both toll points and mobile device in vehicles running a tolling application program the lane and crossing time when traversing a toll point. A tolling service can match records produced by the toll points with records providing by the mobile device when the toll point cannot immediately determine the identity of the toll customer passing through the toll point.

Abstract: Location polygons are defined along traffic lanes and parking spaces to facilitate determination of the location of a vehicle relative to features associated with the location polygons. The location polygons are used, in one application, to identity entrance and exit of a special toll lane along a roadway, and to ensure that the vehicle properly enters and exits the tolling lane.

Abstract: A system and method for dividing toll charges among vehicle occupants includes, at a mobile device, receiving identifying information for each vehicle occupant that can be used to verify the identity of the occupant. The identifying information can be biometric in nature, including images or voice prints. The information is provided to tolling service with which each of the occupants has an account. Toll charges that accrue as the vehicle travels are then divided or split among the vehicle occupants.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a distance traveled by a vehicle for the purpose of assessing and settling a road usage charge allows a mobile device to determine distance traveled with a vehicle while paired with a PAN transceiver of the vehicle by using GPS location information. The mobile device can also capture odometer images that are reported to a system that processes the images to obtain the odometer values and find the difference between the odometer values. Once the actual distance traveled 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 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.

Abstract: A tolling system is operable to reduce the number of manual reviews of a toll point images needed to process toll fee charges by separately reporting from both toll points and mobile device in vehicles running a tolling application program the lane and crossing time when traversing a toll point. A tolling service can match records produced by the toll points with records providing by the mobile device when the toll point cannot immediately determine the identity of the toll customer passing through the toll point.

Abstract: A method for apportioning a vehicular toll among toll service subscribers in a vehicle can include determining a number of occupants in the vehicle in order to determine a toll amount, and dividing the toll amount among the toll service subscribers in the vehicle. The method can also detect the number of occupants and/or toll service subscribers in the vehicle automatically, or by prompting toll service subscribers to enter the number of occupants.

Abstract: A phone device monitors an accelerometer while traveling in a vehicle to detect unusually large excursions or sudden changes in acceleration magnitude. When such an excursion is detected, the phone device then compares the excursion with the output of other components in the vehicle that can confirm or dispel a finding that the vehicle has experienced a collision. Once a likely collision has been detected, the phone device goes into an automated assistance mode where the use can be voice prompted as to their condition. If no response is received, the phone device can automatically call emergency services for assistance, providing the present location of the phone device. In less severe incidents, the phone device can automatically offer immediate access to other services, include a towing service, an attorney, an automobile service, among others. The service providers are based on a geo-fenced region in which the phone device is located.

Abstract: Location polygons are defined along traffic lanes and parking spaces to facilitate determination of the location of a vehicle relative to features associated with the location polygons. The location polygons are used, in one application, to identity entrance and exit of a special toll lane along a roadway, and to ensure that the vehicle properly enters and exits the tolling lane. The location polygons define geofenced regions, and each definition for a geofenced region can include one or more rules that are used to evaluate location information reported by a user's equipment. The rules dictate whether an action it taken or inhibited, such as charging a toll or not charging a toll, based on other location information reported by the user's equipment.

Abstract: Location polygons are defined along traffic lanes and parking spaces to facilitate determination of the location of a vehicle relative to features associated with the location polygons. The location polygons are used, in one application, to identity entrance and exit of a special toll lane along a roadway, and to ensure that the vehicle properly enters and exits the tolling lane.

Abstract: A mobile device runs a tolling application program that, in part, can perform several vehicle occupant detection processes in order to verify the number of occupants in a vehicle. When the number of occupants is verified, then (when the number is more than one) discounts on tolls can be applied to toll transactions. In order to avoid the effect of false positive detections, several occupant sensing modalities are used and the results of each are evaluated to ensure that the correct number of occupants has been determined.

Abstract: A mobile device periodically determines its location and compares its location to a set of user-authorized geofenced region definitions. The proximity to any of the geofenced regions, as determines how often the mobile device determines its location (location sampling), and how it handles location information. Initially, when the mobile device is well outside of any of the geofenced regions a low location sampling rate is used. When the mobile device is within any of the geofenced regions, location information is transmitted, generally, to a backend server over a network. When the mobile device is not within any of the geofenced regions, transmission of location information can be inhibited. Further, when the mobile device is within a threshold distance of one of the geofenced regions, the sampling rate can be increased.

Abstract: A mobile device includes an application program that is capable of determining location and a bearing direction of travel. Further, the application program is associated with a back end server that can receive definitions of local geofenced regions, including regions over roadways that indicate the proper bearing direction of traffic for vehicles in those defined regions. The application program monitors its location, which is also the location of a vehicle in which the device is traveling, and compares it with geofenced regions. When the vehicle is within a geofenced region having a traffic direction indication, the application program compares the present bearing direction with that indicated for the geofenced region. When the comparison indicates the vehicle in the wrong direction, the mobile device emits one or more alerts to indicate that the vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction for that traffic lane.

Abstract: 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 travelled 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.

Abstract: 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 roadways travelled 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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing vehicle license tag numbers allows subscribers of a toll service to avoid additional charges normally associated with processing photographs of vehicle license tags by toll agencies to collect tolls. A subscriber can upload one or more license tag numbers to be associated with the subscriber's account with the toll service. The toll service provides a list of license tag numbers to the toll agency. If, for a given toll event, the toll agency does not receive a response to a wireless toll tag reader signal, the toll agency compares a license tag number obtained by processing a photo of the vehicle's license tag with the list provided by the toll service to find a match and process the toll.

Abstract: A phone device monitors an accelerometer while traveling in a vehicle to detect unusually large excursions or sudden changes in acceleration magnitude. When such an excursion is detected, the phone device then compares the excursion with the output of other components in the vehicle that can confirm or dispel a finding that the vehicle has experienced a collision. Once a likely collision has been detected, the phone device goes into an automated assistance mode where the use can be voice prompted as to their condition. If no response is received, the phone device can automatically call emergency services for assistance, providing the present location of the phone device. In less severe incidents, the phone device can automatically offer immediate access to other services, include a towing service, an attorney, an automobile service, among others. The service providers are based on a geo-fenced region in which the phone device is located.