Mobile Device-Enhanced Pickups for Rental Vehicle Transactions

A method comprising:

• instructing a mobile device to wirelessly communicate an image of a driver's license for a customer to a remote computer system;
• receiving data from the remote computer system in response to the wirelessly communicated image;
• and
• responsive to the received data, instructing the mobile computing device to communicate an output signal for sensing by a sensor on a proximate self-rent rental vehicle, the output signal configured to permit the customer to access and pick up the proximate self-rent rental vehicle;
• and
• wherein the method steps are performed by a processor resident on the mobile device.

A computer program product comprising:

• a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of a mobile device and resident on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions, upon execution by the mobile device's processor, are configured to cause the mobile device to:
• wirelessly communicate an image of a driver's license for a customer to a remote computer system;
• receive data from the remote computer system in response to the wirelessly communicated image;
• and
• responsive to the received data, communicate an output signal for sensing by a sensor on a proximate self-rent rental vehicle, the output signal configured to permit the customer to access and pick up the proximate self-rent rental vehicle.

A method comprising:

• receiving data indicative of a user via a mobile device of the user while the mobile device is in proximity to a rental vehicle;
• based on the received data, accessing stored data about the user that is indicative of whether the user is deemed to have a valid driver's license;
• retrieving a rental vehicle reservation record;
• determining whether the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device based on the accessed data and the retrieved rental vehicle reservation record;
• and
• in response to the determining step resulting in a determination that the user is authorized to pick up the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device, enabling the rental vehicle proximate to the mobile device for automated pickup by the user;
• and
• wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.