Patents by Inventor Dave G. Smith

Dave G. Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Mobile device-enhanced pickups for rental vehicle transactions
    Patent number: 11833997
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: The Crawford Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Scott Stephens, Dave G. Smith, Neil Fitzgerald, Derik Reiser
  • Mobile Device-Enhanced Rental Vehicle Transactions
    Publication number: 20230303033
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Scott Stephens, Dave G. Smith, Neil Fitzgerald, Derik Reiser
  • Mobile device-enhanced rental vehicle returns
    Patent number: 11697393
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: The Crawford Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Dave G. Smith
  • Mobile Device-Enhanced Rental Vehicle Returns
    Publication number: 20200331433
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Dave G. Smith
  • Mobile device-enhanced rental vehicle returns
    Patent number: 10549721
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: The Crawford Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Dave G. Smith
  • Method and apparatus for driver's license analysis to support rental vehicle transactions
    Patent number: 10059304
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, techniques are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of driver's licenses to assess a validity for the driver's licenses in support of various rental transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Scott Stephens, Dave G. Smith, Neil Fitzgerald, Ryan C. Flynn, Jerome V. Schmitt, Tom McAliney
  • Method and Apparatus for Driver's License Analysis to Support Rental Vehicle Transactions
    Publication number: 20140278555
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, techniques are disclosed for capturing and analyzing images of driver's licenses to assess a validity for the driver's licenses in support of various rental transactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: The Crawford Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Scott Stephens, Dave G. Smith, Neil Fitzgerald, Ryan C. Flynn, Jerome V. Schmitt, Tom McAliney
  • Mobile Device-Enhanced Pickups for Rental Vehicle Transactions
    Publication number: 20140278607
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: The Crawford Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Scott Stephens, Dave G. Smith, Neil Fitzgerald, Derik Reiser
  • Mobile Device-Enhanced Rental Vehicle Returns
    Publication number: 20140278608
    Abstract: A number of techniques are disclosed for making it more convenient and efficient for customers to conduct various rental vehicle transactions. As an example, a technique for performing an automated pickup of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for performing an automated return administration of a rental vehicle using a mobile device is disclosed. As another example, a technique for permitting customer to select a particular rental vehicle for a rental vehicle transaction using a mobile device is disclosed. Also disclosed is a technique for permitting a customer to keylessly start a rental vehicle using a machine-sensible item such as his/her mobile device without requiring the customer to possess a smart key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: The Crawford Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan S. Johnson, Dave G. Smith