Patents by Inventor Kelly L. Zimmerman

Kelly L. Zimmerman 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).

  • Publication number: 20040230498
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for returning a rental vehicle to a rental agency facility. One method detects a location of the rental vehicle and commands the rental vehicle to wirelessly communicate diagnostic information. The diagnostic information includes at least one of mileage of the rental vehicle, fuel contained in the rental vehicle, and a number identifying the rental vehicle. Another method wirelessly receives the diagnostic information from the rental vehicle and forwards the diagnostic information to the rental agency. The diagnostic information may be wirelessly received by a manufacturer of the rental vehicle and forwarded from the manufacturer of the rental vehicle to the rental agency. Still another method receives the diagnostic information from the manufacturer and generates a record of a rental transaction using the diagnostic information. The manufacturer of the rental vehicle may be requested to obtain the diagnostic information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Kelly L. Zimmerman, Scott P. Zimmerman