Abstract: A mobile computerized apparatus or method configured to coordinate towing facilities and roadside assistance providers and their available capacity to tow and provide roadside assistance and match users with those towing facilities and roadside assistance providers is disclosed. The apparatus or method may be configured to consider the following factors in matching the towing facilities/roadside assistance providers and users: (a) availability of nearby towing facilities; (b) telematics information from the vehicle to assist with the diagnosis/repairs; (c) preset preferences of the user; (d) insurance information (such as the type of the vehicle the user has and the user's home address); and (e) the capabilities of the towing facility.

Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a processor configured to determine an ESF-based haptic effect and transmit a haptic signal associated with the ESF-based haptic effect. The illustrative system also includes an ESF controller in communication with the processor, the ESF controller configured to receive the haptic signal, determine an ESF signal based at least in part on the haptic signal, and transmit the ESF signal. Further, the illustrative system includes an inducing electrode configured to receive the ESF signal and induce an electric charge on an induced electrode, wherein the inducing electrode does not contact the induced electrode, and wherein the induced electrode is configured to output the ESF-based haptic effect to a surface.

Abstract: A location-based service, and in particular location-based services involving mobile devices. With the disclosed method it is possible to provide individual information at a certain location to individual users, wherein the information may be based on a location profile that may be updated depending on inputs of the user itself or other users.

Abstract: A key fob device, in one embodiment, includes a transceiver that receives and sends signals, a memory that stores a public key and a certificate of authenticity associated with the key fob device, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and memory. The processor is configured to execute instructions causing the key fob device to transmit the public key and the certificate of authenticity, execute a public key agreement protocol to generate a common secret encryption key, and receive an operation key encrypted with the common secret encryption key.

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the invention are directed to generating marketing-based age range products based at least on inferred data regarding the age of various network users. The age range products may be used for age-targeted online marketing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling access to or exit from a controlled area, implemented in a system comprising at least one database comprising: a first data set, comprising biometric data of persons linked with identifiers of means of transport or travel; and a second data set including at least one piece of data such as marital status and/or identity document and at least one piece of personal biometric data, the method being characterized by implementing steps that comprise: for each vehicle, acquiring an identifier of the means of transport or travel, and biometric data of at least one passenger in the vehicle; for each passenger for which biometric data has been acquired, determining whether said passenger is recorded in the first data set linked with the vehicle; if a passenger is not recorded in the first data set linked with the vehicle, verifying that the passenger is recorded in said set linked with another vehicle or, failing that, that said passenger is recorded in the second data

Abstract: A control system including a detection device and a control host is provided. The detection device is configured to detect a biometric characteristic to accordingly identify a user ID, and output an ID signal according to the user ID. The control host is configured to receive the ID signal to accordingly perform an individualized control associated with the user ID.

Abstract: A method for making a location-based automatic payment includes receiving an automatic payment instruction that designates a payee account. The automatic payment instruction is associated with a payer account in a database. A payment location is received and associated with the automatic payment request in the database. A payer device that is associated with the payer account is determined to be in the payment location and, in response, a payment request is sent over a network to make a payment from the payer account to the payee account.

Abstract: As part of the process for controlling entry and exit in parking garages and parking facilities, the entrance or exit, in front of which a vehicle stands, is determined on the basis of a location determination of the vehicle, where the location information shall be transmitted by means of the mobile device via a wireless or mobile phone standard to a server, which is capable of controlling the parking barriers of entrances and exits after locating the vehicle, where in the case that the owner of the mobile device is already registered on the server, the user ID is also sent to the server and in the case that the owner of the mobile device is not registered on the server, the registration is done by means of the mobile device via the connection to the server and a user ID is assigned after registration, where the entrance or exit, in front of which the vehicle stands, is determined on basis of the data of location determination in the server, where a ticket in electronic form linked with the user ID is sent to

Abstract: A method for finding a parking space for a first motor vehicle includes determining a required minimum length of the parking space on which the first motor vehicle is parkable, scanning a length of the adjacent parking space through the second motor vehicle, and driving the first motor vehicle to the adjacent parking space bounded by the second motor vehicle when the length of the adjacent parking space corresponds to at least the minimum length. Related transmission devices and control systems are also provided.

Abstract: A method and system receives at a server a search request and processes the search request to determine a context of the search request, then determines, based on the context, a network route to an application server having the closest geographic proximity, with respect to the server, to the most relevant database associated with the context.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for dynamic travel coordination is provided. A common destination is designated for a group of travelers for arrival at a common time. A mode of travel and a set of travel criteria are designated for each traveler. The travel criteria are determined for at least one of the travelers by receiving travel criteria for the at least one traveler from another traveler and receiving from the at least one traveler modifications to the received travel criteria. An initial route to the common destination at the common arrival time is created for each of the travelers based on the travel mode and travel criteria for that traveler. The initial route of one or more of the travelers is revised based on at least one of that traveler's designated travel criteria, a progress of one or more of the travelers, and travel conditions of the initial route.

Abstract: The present application provides a system and method for enabling a driver to locate a passenger. In one or more implementations, a graphical user interface is provided that is operable to send and receive information associated with passengers and vehicles. A location of a first vehicle, a location of a first passenger and a location of a second passenger are received. Information associated with the locations of the first and second passenger is transmitted and a representation of at least one of the first passenger and the second passenger and the respective location thereof is provided.

Abstract: A vehicle charge assistance device and a vehicle including the same are disclosed. The vehicle charge assistance device includes at least one camera mounted on a vehicle, an antenna to detect a magnetic field from a charging device, and a processor to control movement of the vehicle. The processor may generate a vehicle movement direction signal based on an object associated with the charging device in an image from the at least one camera and generate a guide signal to adjust a position of the vehicle based on the magnetic field after movement of the vehicle according to the vehicle movement direction signal. Consequently, it is possible to easily and conveniently move the vehicle to the charge system.

Abstract: Queue techniques which use a beacon to detect customers. An example queue method includes receiving a message containing an identifier and contact information from a mobile communication device carried by a customer within communication range of a beacon, establishing a position of the customer in a queue, and sending a reply message to the mobile communication device at the contact information containing queue information.

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 server of a network-controlled charging system for electric vehicles receives a request for charge transfer for an electric vehicle at a network-controlled charge transfer device, determines whether to enable charge transfer, and responsive to determining to enable charge transfer, transmits a communication to the network-controlled charge transfer device that indicates to the network-controlled charge transfer device to enable charge transfer.

Abstract: A central computing system is configured to monitor quotas for multiple different classifications of vehicles that park in a parking facility. License plate reading (LPR) cameras read the license information of each vehicle entering and exiting a parking facility. The vehicle images or identifications are communicated to the central computing system which updates its database and monitors each virtual lot in the parking facility according to quotas, prices and other parameters for each corresponding class of vehicles. Control gates can be provided at entrances and exits to the parking facility. A parking kiosk can be provided to the parking facility that is networked with the central computing system.

Abstract: A control system including a detection device and a control host is provided. The detection device is configured to detect a biometric characteristic to accordingly identify a user ID, and output an ID signal according to the user ID. The control host is configured to receive the ID signal to accordingly perform an individualized control associated with the user ID.

Abstract: The present invention describes the system of centralized parking payment and monitoring, which uses geo-location enabled devices such as iPhone, android, RIM devices, mobile phones, pagers and wireless mobile computers. Using such system person can get a parking receipt; do payment of parking in the paid parking area directly from his geo-location enabled devices without any intervention of any attendant. Simultaneously, police or parking manager can also check the virtual parking receipt of the vehicle in the centralized parking system using Geo-location enable mobile device. The big differences between this new solution is compared to existing solution are (1) [004] All the current solutions are identifying a particular parking spot instead of looking at holistic view of parking on a whole street or an unmanned parking area. Geo-location devices have 5-25 meters inaccuracy in identifying a position i.e. 1-5 parking spots inaccuracy. As a result, geo-location device cannot locate a particular parking spot.

Abstract: A method and system for deterring attacks at potential breach points between servers and an account and login server for creating and subsequent verification of accounts. Various cryptographic primitives are used to manipulate passwords to generate verifiers. The verifiers are used with external hardware security modules (HSMs) to eliminate HSMs and intermediate steps between the HSM and login servers as potential breach points.

Abstract: A method to provide an active parking system includes receiving, at a portable computerized device, parking preferences of a user for a parking facility of a retail store, determining, within a parking space index server, an availability status of each of a plurality of parking spaces of the parking facility, identifying, within a computerized device, a preferred parking location for the user based upon the parking preferences and the availability statuses, and displaying, at a computerized display, directions for the user to navigate to the preferred parking location.

Abstract: An internet-based system and method allows customers to remotely check-in to a wait list for a no-appointment first listed-first served business. A location associated with a customer is received and an interactive map displays multiple icons with each icon corresponding to a location of the business. A dynamically updated estimated wait time for the wait list at each business location is displayed. A customer selection of a location at which to receive a service from the business is received by a selection of the icon representing the business and the customer is added to the wait list at the location.

Abstract: A method, using a mobile device, of initiating the processing of a transaction for a parking session between a parking system and a payment provider on behalf of a user, the method comprising storing a user identifier in memory on the mobile device, receiving a parking identifier and transmitting the user identifier and the parking identifier to a network server.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for using a payment processing network as an authorization engine to access secure physical areas, such as college dormitories, office buildings. A keycard with a cryptogram generator is presented by a user to an access device, and the access device or associated computer sends an access request message formatted like a payment authentication request message to an aggregator/acquirer and payment processing network. The payment processing network validates the cryptogram and returns an access response message, again formatted like a payment authorization response message, indicating that the keycard is authentic. The gate, door, turnstile, or other barrier is then temporarily unlocked to let the user through.

Abstract: A vehicle may require an electric recharge. A request may be sent to obtain identification of charge locations along a route. Along with the request, data may be sent identifying vehicle location, route, and desired safety rating. A response may be obtained from a remote server, and the results may be displayed, which include the user rating of the charge station. The desired user rating may be adjusted based on the battery's state of charge (SOC). The desired user rating may be decreased as the battery state of charge decreases. The user may further set the desired user rating. The desired user rating may further depend on other ratings of the charging station.

Abstract: Method and system for automatically detecting and checking the use of parking places of a parking arrangement, which is provided with a parking network and a central computer, the parking places being each provided with an electronic parking sensor module, which has an identification code and a vehicle sensor for detecting vehicles in the respective parking places, wherein use is made of electronic license devices, carried along with the vehicles and each having a unique identification number and motion sensor means, which can determine at what time a vehicle comes to a standstill, and wherein information about said time together with the identification number is transmitted to the central computer, which can compare said time with times at which the parking places become occupied, to determine in which parking place the vehicle is parked.

Abstract: A detecting device is mounted in a parking lot including parking regions, and can communicate with a cloud server and one mobile terminal entering the parking lot. The cloud server stores an electronic map of the parking lot. The detecting device includes a distance sensor and a positioning device. The distance sensor detects occupied information of each parking space of each parking region and transmits the occupied information to the cloud server. The positioning device detects an original location of one mobile terminal entering the parking lot and transmits the original location to the cloud server, so that the cloud server can update the electronic map to indicate the occupied information and the original location.

Abstract: A method is provided for providing parking information regarding free parking spaces within at least one city block. The method provides for detecting information regarding available, free parking spaces, wherein a knowledge database with historical data is generated from the detected information. The historical data for specified city blocks and/or specified times or periods of time respectively comprise statistical data regarding free parking spaces. From the historical data and current information that are detected by vehicles in traffic for a first given point in time for a single or a plurality of selected city blocks, a probability distribution of free parking spaces to be expected for the single or the plurality of city blocks is determined. A visualization of the probability distribution is generated that represents the parking information regarding free parking spaces within the single or the plurality of city blocks.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, an NFC-enabled mobile device for supporting a plurality of proximity services is conceived, wherein each supported proximity service corresponds to a specific operating system running on a specific secure element comprised in the NFC-enabled mobile device, wherein the NFC-enabled mobile device comprises a plurality of data sets and each data set corresponds to a supported proximity service, wherein the NFC-enabled mobile device is arranged to determine whether it supports an advertised proximity service, upon receipt of a service advertisement message comprising a unique identifier of the advertised proximity service from an NFC reader, by searching for the advertised proximity service in said data sets.

Abstract: A system of route scheduling for a vehicle presents fuel information for a vehicle. The system receives vehicle related drive information and fuel information from the vehicle via a vehicle interface, including fuel tank capacity, a current fuel level, and fuel economy, calculates routes to points from a current vehicle position based on the drive related information of sensors, estimates first fuel amounts for reaching the points based on the calculated routes and the fuel economy, selects fuel stations within a predetermined range of the calculated routes based on their locations, estimates second fuel amounts for reaching the fuel stations based on their locations, the fuel economy and the current vehicle position, obtains fuel prices of the fuel stations from a network, and instructs a screen to display the fuel prices, the point information, the locations of the fuel stations, the fuel tank capacity and the current fuel level along with a segment.

Abstract: A secure short-distance-based communication and validation system validates users in a validation area. The system may include multiple zones in the validation area and beacons in each zone. A run-time mobile device identifier and keys that may be location-specific, device-specific and time-specific are generated and utilized for secure communication between mobile devices and a zone computer in a zone. The validation area may be in a vehicle, and validation may include deducting a fare.

Abstract: A computer readable medium embodies a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a processing apparatus to perform operations including determining information corresponding to a number of differences in distances between ending points of journeys taken by a vehicle and starting points of consecutive journeys taken by the vehicle, and transmitting one or more representations of the information. Another computer readable medium tangibly includes instructions for, for each of a number of vehicles, receiving one or more scores corresponding to a vehicle, and determining a ranked list containing at least a portion of the scores, and outputting the ranked list. Another computer readable medium includes instructions for, for each of a number of vehicles, receiving information corresponding to a vehicle, using one or more metrics, calculating one or more values from the received information, and communicating one or more representations of the one or more value to one or more entities.

Abstract: A self-authenticating chip includes first and second memory regions storing, respectively, first and second authentication codes. The second memory region is adapted to be unreadable and unmodifiable by the chip or a chip reader. The chip also includes a comparator for providing an indicator of whether given input matches the second authentication code. The chip also includes an authentication circuit that is operable to read the first authentication code from the first memory region, present the first authentication code to the comparator, and in response to receiving an indicator from the comparator indicating that the first and second authentication codes match, unlock at least one of (i) a communication interface of the chip to allow data to be transmitted therethrough to a chip reader and (ii) a third memory region of the chip to allow data to be read therefrom.

Abstract: A method for making available at least one position information item about a parked motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein a detector device of the motor vehicle detects the motor vehicle driving into a multi-level parking garage, and as a result of the detection of the driving in, transmission of at least one current first position information item by the motor vehicle to a vehicle-external central data-processing device is triggered. Furthermore, in the case of reception of the first position information item by the central data-processing device of the at least one first position information item, this information item is stored by the central data processing device.

Abstract: An apparatus manages vehicle parking services in a flexible and cost efficient manner. Service information for vehicle parking in a spatial and time varying parking area is received at a vehicle from a parking service management apparatus. A geographical position of the vehicle relative to the parking area is determined and forwarded to the parking service management apparatus. These communications can trigger issuance of a vehicle parking ticket at the parking service management apparatus based on the geographical position of the vehicle.

Abstract: A forward proxy can perform identity substitutions and related services. The user provides the forward proxy with identity information, and the forward proxy presents itself to remote Internet sites on behalf of the user in the guize of the specified identity. From the remote site's point of view, the forward proxy is the machine being used by the user; the identity of the actual user machine can be hidden. Cookies are thus stored and updated at the forward proxy instead of being stored and updated at the user computer as they would be if a conventional forward proxy had been used. This helps preserve user privacy. The use of group identities, which are shared by multiple users, are also facilitated.

Abstract: The present application provides a system and method for enabling a driver to locate a passenger. In one or more implementations, a graphical user interface is provided that is operable to send and receive information associated with passengers and vehicles. A location of a first vehicle, a location of a first passenger and a location of a second passenger are received. Information associated with the locations of the first and second passenger is transmitted and a representation of at least one of the first passenger and the second passenger and the respective location thereof is provided.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided that is able to (i) identify a particular driver from other potential drivers and (ii) monitor various vehicle functions in order to determine if the identified driver repeatedly performs the same behavior at approximately the same time of day on the same day of the week. When the control system determines that the identified driver repeats the same behavior in response to the same temporal conditions, the controller learns that behavior and associates it with the identified driver so that it can be automatically performed, without driver interaction, under the same temporal conditions in the future.

Abstract: A system for the management of a fleet of battery powered vehicles using a paradigm of a reserve pool of vehicles as opposed to a reserve fleet of batteries. In this system, a reserve pool of vehicles is always maintained in a ready state such that vehicles being returned with depleted batteries may be replaced with a vehicle having a fully-charged battery. The system maintains a balance between reserve fleet size and charging time (and therefore the life of the batteries) to provide optimal performance and cost savings. The system has the added advantages of capital efficiency in that that the time and labor required to change batteries, and the need to maintain extra batteries is eliminated.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of making a payment transaction between a customer and a merchant using a payment card (200) of the customer including steps of: transmitting details of the payment transaction from a mobile device (202) to a remote server; capturing at least one image of the payment card using the mobile device of the merchant; transmitting the at least one image of the payment card to the remote server; identifying, by the remote server, the merchant and the payment card captured in the at least one image; and implementing the payment transaction between bank accounts (208, 210) of the customer and the merchant.

Abstract: A vehicle control system is provided that is able to (i) identify a particular driver from other potential drivers and (ii) monitor various vehicle functions in order to determine if the identified driver repeatedly performs the same behavior at approximately the same time each day. When the control system determines that the identified driver repeats the same behavior in response to the same temporal conditions, the controller learns that behavior and associates it with the identified driver so that it can be automatically performed, without driver interaction, under the same temporal conditions in the future.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for determining whether to grant a user access at an access control point of a transit system based on information about a user associated with a fare media from one or more information sources. These techniques can include receiving an authorization response after attempting to authorize payment from a fare media, and accessing at least one information source. This can include accessing historical information regarding prior transactions in the transit system made with the fare media. A determination can then be made whether to grant a user access at the access control point of the transit system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a user interface method for controlling output of a reception signal sound of a smart device. The method of the present invention includes a step of executing the call-keeper application to select a call-keeper mode (including a mode name and a time for controlling output of the reception sound signal) for blocking output of the reception signal sound through a mode setting user interface. When the time for blocking output of the reception signal sound in a designated mode expires, communication is performed normally without controlling output of the reception signal sound according to classification.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reading license plate numbers in a road network, comprising: recording an image of a license plate number at a first location, OCR-reading a license plate character string in the image, and storing an OCR data set in a database; recording an image of a license plate number at a second location, OCR-reading a license plate number character string in the image, and generating a current OCR data set; and, if a confidence measure of the current OCR data set falls below a first minimum confidence value, selecting a stored OCR data set with a license plate number image having a similarity exceeding a minimum similarity value and/or having the greatest similarity to the license plate number image of the current OCR data set, and using the selected OCR data set for improving the license plate number character string of the current OCR data set.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for visualizing and displaying a state of a power transmission network to an operator, for the supervision of the network. The method and system are provided for visualizing or contouring a power transmission network state by displaying to an operator output data values interpolated at output data locations from input data including geographically distributed input data sensor locations and corresponding dynamically updated input data values. The method includes dividing a geographical area of interest into triangles, wherein a triangle vertex is defined at each input data location within the area, determining, for each triangle, closest input data locations according to a closeness criteria, and interpolating by weighting or scaling at each output data location within a triangle the input data values of a number of closest input data locations to generate output data values corresponding to the output data locations.

Abstract: An electronic baggage tag is self-reliant and self-regulating and provides the underlying foundation for a baggage tracking and management system, the center of which operates one or more tag service provider servers. The tag is attached to a baggage and is loaded with various data, including passenger itinerary, GPS data, and journey profile data. The tag has sensors, such for detecting different vibrations, electro-magnetic sensor, GPS, and others. As the baggage to which the tag is attached goes on its journey, the sensors detect stimuli and ascertain where in the journey the baggage is and use itinerary and other data to determine where the baggage should be. The tag service provider server communicates with the tag at various stages in the journey, providing up-to-date itinerary data to the tag. The tag automatically shuts off to be compliant with government regulations for devices in flight.

Abstract: An illustrative apparatus may include a UAV request apparatus having a housing with at least one interface configured to accept one or more inputs that are each indicative of a particular type of medical situation. A control system may be configured to receive, via the interface, a first input that corresponds to a first type of medical situation in which a defibrillator is configured to provide medical support; and send, via a first network interface to an access system for a network of UAVs, a medical support request including a unique electronic identifier for the apparatus and an indication of the first type of medical situation, such that a UAV delivers a defibrillator to a location associated with the unique electronic identifier.

Abstract: A parking management system including a rail is described. A camera module takes images of a parking area, has a chargeable battery, and moves along the rail using a motor and wheels. A charging and AP module charges the camera module, receives image information from the camera module, and is movable using a motor, a running rail and gears. A server processes the image information received from the charging and AP module. A computer is connected to the server, and contains management software which executes a parking situation search using a database of the server. The camera takes images from the parking area while moving along the rail, and is positioned on the charging rail so as to be charged from the charging and AP module.

Abstract: This invention discloses a novel system and method for distributing electronic ticketing such that the ticket is verified at the entrance to venues by means of an animation or other human perceptible verifying visual object that is selected by the venue for the specific event. This removes the need to use a bar-code scanner on an LCD display of a cell phone or other device and speeds up the rate at which human ticket takers can verify ticket holders. The system also can permit ticket purchase verification in the absence of a network connection during verfication.