# US 11,308,734 B2 · Mobile device and navigation device toll paying system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,308,734 B2 - Document ID: US11308734B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/963,338 - Filed: 2015-12-09 - Published: 2016-06-16 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-12 - Assignees: Paytollo, Inc. - Applicants: Paytollo, Inc. - Inventors: Abinezar Yohalashet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11308734B2 ## CPC - G07B 15/063: {using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station (identification of vehicles G08G)} - G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) - G07B: TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A computer system processes the electronic payment of tolls by storing, on a toll collection server, an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and a mobile computing device. A database having a plurality of toll locations and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes the toll location is stored on a toll collection server. An electronic communication containing a notification that the mobile computing device passed the toll location is received. The accounting record is modified on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account. The toll collection server is coupled to a toll authority server. An electronic payment is sent to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer system for processing the electronic payment of tolls, the computer system comprising: a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions; and memory storing computer-executable instructions configured to: store, on a toll collection server, an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and a mobile computing device; store, on the toll collection server, a database having a plurality of toll locations, respective geofences associated with the plurality of toll locations, and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes at least one toll location of the plurality of toll locations; increase a frequency of GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has entered the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to trace the path of the mobile computing device; decrease the frequency of the GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to reduce use of a battery in the mobile computing device; send a first notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate the mobile computing device is within the geofence of the at least one toll location; receive an electronic communication containing a second notification that the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location; modify the accounting record on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account; couple the toll collection server to a toll authority server; and send an electronic payment to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll for the at least one toll location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device is selected from the group consisting of a handheld device and a navigation device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer system of claim 1, wherein the toll authority server sends the electronic communication to the toll collection server and the electronic communication includes a list of toll evaders. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to: send a notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate that the mobile user has incurred a toll; and request that the mobile user confirm that it intends to pay the toll. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to: wait a predetermined time period for the mobile user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The computer system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to: wait for the mobile user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server; and send the electronic payment to the toll authority server immediately after the mobile user responds. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to: store, in the memory of the toll collection server, a plurality of virtual tollbooths with each virtual tollbooth corresponding to a toll collection location in the toll collection server database. ### Claim 8 A computer-implemented method for processing the electronic payment of tolls, comprising executing on a processor the steps of: storing, in the memory of a toll collection server, an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and a mobile computing device including a battery; storing, in the memory of the toll collection server, a database having a plurality of toll locations, respective geofences associated with the plurality of toll locations, and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes at least one toll location of the plurality of toll locations; increasing a frequency of GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has entered the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to trace the path of the mobile computing device; decreasing the frequency of the GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to reduce use of the mobile computing device battery; sending a first notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate the mobile computing device is within the geofence of the at least one toll location; receiving, by the toll collection server, an electronic communication containing a second notification that the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location; modifying the accounting record on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account; coupling the toll collection server to a toll authority server; and sending an electronic payment to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll for the at least one toll location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the mobile computing device is selected from the group consisting of a handheld computer and a navigation device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining a direction of travel of the mobile computing device based on an entry point at the respective geofence and an exit point at the respective geofence. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the toll authority server sends the electronic communication to the toll collection server and the electronic communication includes a list of toll evaders. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: sending a notification from the toll collection server to the mobile computing device to indicate that the mobile user has incurred a toll; and requesting that the mobile user confirm that it intends to pay the toll. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising: waiting a predetermined time period for the mobile computing device user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising: waiting for the mobile device user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server; and sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server immediately after the mobile user responds. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: storing, in the memory of the toll collection server, a plurality of virtual tollbooths with each virtual tollbooth corresponding to a toll collection location in the toll collection server database. ### Claim 16 A system for collecting electronic tolls comprising: a mobile computing device including a battery; a toll collection server connected to the mobile computing device; and a toll authority server coupled to the toll collection server; wherein the toll collection server stores: an accounting record for a mobile user account that is associated with a mobile user and the mobile computing device, and a database having a plurality of toll locations, respective geofences associated with the plurality of toll locations, and at least one toll that is incurred by the mobile user when the mobile computing device passes at least one toll location of the plurality of toll locations, and wherein the toll collection server has the ability to: increase a frequency of GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has entered the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to trace the path of the mobile computing device; decrease the frequency of the GPS position measurements, on the toll collection server, when the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location to reduce use of the mobile computing device battery; send a first notification to the mobile computing device to indicate the mobile computing device is within the geofence of the at least one toll location; send, to the mobile computing device, an electronic communication containing a second notification that the mobile computing device has exited the respective geofence of the at least one toll location; modify the accounting record on the toll collection server to deduct the amount of the toll from the mobile user account; and send an electronic payment to the toll authority server in an amount that is associated with the toll for the at least one toll location. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the electronic communication includes a list of toll evaders. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the mobile computing device includes a software application that has the ability to receive a notification from the toll collection server that indicates that the mobile user has incurred a toll and to request that the mobile user confirm that it intends to pay the toll. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the toll collection server has the ability to wait for the mobile user to respond before sending the electronic payment to the toll authority server. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the toll collection server is further configured to: determine a direction of travel of the mobile computing device based on an entry point at the respective geofence and an exit point at the respective geofence.