# US 2014/0156110 A1 · Remote vehicle rental systems and methods

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- Number: US 2014/0156110 A1
- Document ID: US20140156110A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/693,684
- Filed: 2012-12-04
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04
- Assignees: I.D. Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Michael L. Ehrman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156110A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/0645: Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
- G07B 15/02: taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems (G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24)
- G07C 5/00: Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
- G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)}
- G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks}
- G08G 1/00: Traffic control systems for road vehicles (arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 {; automatic vehicle control B62D})
- 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
- G07B: TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

A system for renting vehicles is disclosed. The system can comprise a vehicle access communicator (“VAC”) capable of interfacing with one or more functions of a rental vehicle and a user provided portable electronic device. The VAC can control various functions of the vehicle including, but not limited to, the door locks and/or enabling/disabling the vehicle. The VAC can also monitor various functions of the vehicle including, but not limited to, the fuel level and/or the odometer readings. The VAC can connect to the portable electronic device using a suitable connection method to access additional functionality such as, for example and not limitation, locations services, cellular, and/or internet access. The VAC and the portable electronic device can be used to provide a rental system with reduced infrastructure and operating costs. The system can enable the use of “Green Zones” to provide permanent or temporary vehicle rental areas.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle access communicator (“VAC”) comprising:
a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving wireless data and for communicating with a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device providing one or more of cellular, internet, and location services to the VAC;
a first vehicle connector for connecting to a diagnostic port on the vehicle; and
a processor for determining that the portable electronic device is associated with an authorized user and initiating an unlock command to the vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The VAC of claim 1, wherein the processor sends an enable command to the vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The VAC of claim 2, wherein the processor sends a command to the vehicle to energize the vehicle's fuel pump relay.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The VAC of claim 2, wherein the processor sends a command to the vehicle to energize the vehicle's ignition relay.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The VAC of claim 2, wherein the processor sends a command to the vehicle to energize the vehicle's starter relay.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The VAC of claim 1, wherein
the processor determines that the portable electronic device is associated with an authorized user by connecting to a central control using a communication channel provided by the portable electronic device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The VAC of claim 6, wherein the processor sends an enable command to the vehicle.

### Claim 8

A system for renting vehicles comprising:
a central control for monitoring the location and status of a plurality of rental vehicles; and
a vehicle access communicator (“VAC”) for controlling access to a first vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, monitoring one or more vehicle parameters, and interfacing with a portable electronic device to provide the VAC with data services;
wherein the VAC provides access to the first vehicle upon receiving a correct password from a user via the portable electronic device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the VAC receives locations services from the portable electronic device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein VAC receives an internet connection from the portable electronic device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the VAC is in wireless communication with the portable electronic device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the VAC is connected to the portable electronic device using a Bluetooth® connection.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication between the VAC and the portable electronic device has a range of less than 50 feet.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the VAC is in wired communication with the portable electronic device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the VAC is connected to the portable electronic device using a USB connection.

### Claim 16 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the VAC is connected to a vehicle's diagnostic port.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the VAC is connected to the vehicle's OBD-II port.

### Claim 18 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the VAC monitors one or more of the vehicle's odometer, fuel gauge, and ignition status.

### Claim 19 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the VAC further comprises one or more stand alone gauges for monitoring one or more vehicle parameters.

### Claim 20

A system for renting vehicles comprising:
a central control for maintaining a database comprising the location and status of a plurality of rental vehicles; and
a vehicle access communicator (“VAC”) for controlling access to a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, monitoring one or more vehicle parameters, interfacing with a portable electronic device, and disabling the vehicle until receiving authorization, the VAC comprising:
a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving wireless data and for connecting to a portable electronic device to provide the VAC with one or more of cellular, internet and location services; and
a first vehicle connector for connecting to a diagnostic port on the vehicle.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein the VAC receives authorization from the central control and sends an enable command to the vehicle.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein the VAC receives a correct password from a user via the portable electronic device and sends and enable command to the vehicle.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising:
a second vehicle connector for directly connecting the VAC to one or more vehicle relays or fuses to control one or more vehicle systems.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's fuel pump relay to control the vehicle's fuel pump.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's fuel starter relay to control the vehicle's starter.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's fuel ignition relay to control the vehicle's ignition.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's shifter lock-out solenoid to control the vehicle's shifter.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's steering lock solenoid to control the vehicle's steering.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's transmission solenoid to control the vehicle's transmission.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, the second vehicle connector connected to the vehicle's parking brake solenoid to control the vehicle's parking brake.

### Claim 32 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising:
a first smart key;
wherein the VAC sends a command to the vehicle to deauthorizing all smart keys for the vehicle to disable the vehicle; and
wherein the VAC sends a command to the vehicle to authorize the first smart key to enable the vehicle.

### Claim 33 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising:
a first dumb key;
wherein the VAC disables the vehicle by sending a command to the vehicle to require one or more smart keys for the vehicle; and
wherein the VAC enables the vehicle by sending a command to the vehicle to authorize the first dumb key for the vehicle.

### Claim 34 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein the VAC disables and enables the vehicle by providing a direct command to the vehicle via the diagnostic port.

### Claim 35 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, wherein the VAC disables the vehicle by providing a pulsed disable command to the vehicle via the diagnostic port to disable the vehicle for a predetermined amount of time; and
wherein the VAC enables the vehicle by stopping the pulsed disable command.

### Claim 36 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising:
a smart key located in the vehicle, but inaccessible to the user; and
a dumb key located in the vehicle and accessible to the user;
wherein the VAC disables the vehicle by disconnecting the smart key from the vehicle; and
wherein the VAC enables the vehicle by connecting the smart key to the vehicle.

### Claim 37 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising:
one or more wireless relays for controlling one or more vehicle systems;
wherein the VAC disables the vehicle by de-energizing at least one of the one or more wireless relays; and
wherein the VAC enables the vehicle by energizing all of the wireless relays.