Electronic toll management

Abstract

Electronic toll management includes capturing an image of a vehicle triggered by a transaction event representing an interaction between the vehicle and a facility, determining a vehicle identifier based on the captured image, checking whether the vehicle identifier matches a vehicle identifier provided by a party, and notifying the party of an occurrence of a match.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computerized method comprising: 
 capturing an image of a vehicle triggered by a transaction event representing an interaction between the vehicle and a facility;    determining a vehicle identifier based on the captured image;    checking whether the vehicle identifier matches a vehicle identifier provided by a party; and    notifying the party of an occurrence of a match.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein notifying the party includes notifying one or more law enforcement authorities each being associated with a different jurisdiction.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein notifying the party includes notifying one or more vehicle registration authorities each being associated with a different jurisdiction.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein notifying the party includes notifying an insurance company.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising notifying a party associated with the vehicle identifier to request payment based on the transaction event.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein notifying occurs in substantially real-time or in batch mode.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 forwarding the transaction event to a party for handling payment, wherein forwarding occurs according to at least one of on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 determining a party associated with the vehicle identifier by searching one or more vehicle registration authority databases each being associated with a particular jurisdiction, using the vehicle identifier as a key for searching the databases;  
 requesting payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event; and  
 processing a payment response from the party associated with the vehicle identifier.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein requesting payment occurs on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein processing includes processing an electronic payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 providing an account for a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving over a communications channel a request from the party associated with the vehicle identifier to review the transaction event;  
 sending to the party associated with the vehicle identifier the transaction event over the communications channel; and  
 processing payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier by deducting from the account an amount based on whether the party agrees with the contents of the transaction event.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein processing includes processing an electronic payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 accessing a vehicle registration authority for a mailing address of a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 accessing a postal authority for a mailing address of the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 reconciling the mailing address from the vehicle registration authority with the mailing address from the postal authority; and  
 requesting payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event, wherein the payment request is sent to the reconciled mailing address.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 requesting payment from a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving a dispute request from the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 sending the party associated with the vehicle identifier the transaction event; and  
 receiving from the party associated with the vehicle identifier payment based on whether the party agrees with the contents of transaction event.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the party associated with the vehicle identifier includes a registered owner of the vehicle.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the payment is based on amount related to the transaction event.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the facility includes at least one of a toll road, a bridge, a tunnel and a parking facility.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a vehicle includes a registered vehicle that includes at least one of an automobile, a truck, motorcycle and a bus.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the transaction event includes at least one of a distance traveled by the vehicle through the facility, a time period the vehicle is present in a facility, the characteristic of the vehicle interacting with the facility, and the speed at which the vehicle passes through the facility.  
     
     
         20 . A system comprising: 
 a database for storing vehicle identifiers and vehicle identifiers provided by a party;    a facility configured to capture and process images of vehicles that interact with the facility; and    a computer system configured to communicate with the database and the facility, the computer system for: 
 processing an image of a vehicle triggered by a transaction event representing an interaction between the vehicle and the facility,  
 determining a vehicle identifier based on the captured image,  
 checking whether the vehicle identifier matches a vehicle identifier provided by the party, and notifying the party of an occurrence of a match.  
   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the computer system notifies one or more law enforcement authorities each being associated with a different jurisdiction.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the computer system notifies one or more vehicle registration authorities each being associated with a different jurisdiction.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the computer system notifies an insurance company.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20  further configuring the computer for notifying a party associated with the vehicle identifier to request payment based on the transaction event.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the computer system notifies in substantially real-time or in batch mode.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 20  further configuring the computer for: 
 forwarding the transaction event to a party for handling payment, wherein forwarding occurs at least one of on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 20  further configuring the computer for: 
 determining a party associated with the vehicle identifier by searching one or more vehicle registration authority databases each associated with a particular jurisdiction, using the vehicle identifier as a key for searching the databases;  
 requesting payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event; and  
 processing a payment response from the party associated with the vehicle identifier.  
 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the computer system requests payment on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the computer system processes an electronic payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 20  further configuring the computer for: 
 providing an account for a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving over a communications channel a request from the party to review the transaction event;  
 sending to the party the transaction event over the communications channel; and  
 processing payment from the party by deducting from the account an amount based on whether the party agrees with the contents of the transaction event.  
 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the computer system processes an electronic payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 20  further configuring the computer for: 
 accessing a vehicle registration authority for a mailing address of a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 accessing a postal authority for a mailing address of the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 reconciling the mailing address from the vehicle registration authority with the mailing address from the postal authority; and  
 requesting payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event, wherein the payment request is sent to the reconciled mailing address.  
 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 20  further configuring the computer for: 
 requesting payment from a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving a dispute request from the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 sending the party associated with the vehicle identifier the transaction event; and  
 receiving from the party associated with the vehicle identifier payment based on whether the party agrees with the contents of transaction event.  
 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the party associated with the vehicle identifier includes a registered owner of the vehicle.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the payment is based on an amount related to the transaction event.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the facility includes at least one of a toll road, a bridge, a tunnel and a parking facility.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 20  wherein a vehicle includes a registered vehicle that includes at least one of an automobile, a truck, motorcycle and a bus.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the transaction event includes at least one of a distance traveled by the vehicle through the facility, a time period the vehicle is present in a facility, the characteristic of the vehicle interacting with the facility, and the speed at which the vehicle passes through the facility.  
     
     
         39 . An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing machine-executable instructions that, when applied to the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 capturing an image of a vehicle triggered by a transaction event representing an interaction between the vehicle and the facility;    determining a vehicle identifier based on the captured image;    checking whether the vehicle identifier matches a vehicle identifier provided by a party; and    notifying the party of an occurrence of a match.    
     
     
         40 . The article of  claim 39  wherein notifying the party includes notifying one or more law enforcement authorities each being associated with a different jurisdiction.  
     
     
         41 . The article of  claim 39  wherein notifying the party includes notifying one or more vehicle registration authorities each being associated with a different jurisdiction.  
     
     
         42 . The article of  claim 39  wherein notifying the party includes notifying an insurance company.  
     
     
         43 . The article of  claim 39  further comprising notifying a party associated with the vehicle identifier to request payment based on the transaction event.  
     
     
         44 . The article of  claim 39  wherein notifying occurs in substantially real-time or in batch mode.  
     
     
         45 . The article of  claim 39  further comprising instructions to cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 forwarding the transaction event to a party for handling payment, wherein forwarding occurs according to a predefined criteria including at least one of on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
 
     
     
         46 . The article of  claim 39  further comprising instructions to cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 determining a party associated with the vehicle identifier by searching one or more vehicle registration authority databases associated with a particular jurisdiction, using the vehicle identifier as a key for searching the databases;  
 requesting payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event; and  
 processing a payment response from the party associated with the vehicle identifier.  
 
     
     
         47 . The article of  claim 46  wherein requesting payment occurs on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         48 . The article of  claim 46  wherein processing includes processing an electronic payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         49 . The article of  claim 39  further comprising instructions to cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 providing an account for a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving over a communications channel a request from the party to review the transaction event;  
 sending to the party the transaction event over the communications channel; and  
 processing payment from the party by deducting from the account an amount based on whether the party agrees with the contents of the transaction event.  
 
     
     
         50 . The article of  claim 49  wherein processing includes processing an electronic payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         51 . The article of  claim 39  further comprising instructions to cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 accessing a vehicle registration authority for a mailing address of a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 accessing a postal authority for a mailing address of the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 reconciling the mailing address from the vehicle registration authority with the mailing address from the postal authority; and  
 requesting payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event, wherein the payment request is sent to the reconciled mailing address.  
 
     
     
         52 . The article of  claim 39  further comprising instructions to cause the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 requesting payment from a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving a dispute request from the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 sending the party associated with the vehicle identifier the transaction event; and  
 receiving from the party associated with the vehicle identifier payment based on whether the party agrees with the contents of transaction event.  
 
     
     
         53 . The article of  claim 52  wherein the party associated with the vehicle identifier includes a registered owner of the vehicle.  
     
     
         54 . The article of  claim 52  further comprising instructions to cause the machine to perform operations comprising establishing payment amount based on the transaction event.  
     
     
         55 . The article of  claim 39  wherein the facility includes at least one of a toll road, a bridge, a tunnel and a parking facility.  
     
     
         56 . The article of  claim 39  wherein a vehicle includes a registered vehicle that includes at least one of an automobile, a truck, motorcycle and a bus.  
     
     
         57 . The article of  claim 39  wherein the transaction event includes at least one of a distance traveled by the vehicle through the facility, a time period the vehicle is present in a facility, the characteristic of the vehicle interacting with the facility, and the speed at which the vehicle passes through the facility.  
     
     
         58 . A computerized method comprising: 
 capturing an image of a vehicle triggered by a transaction event representing an interaction between the vehicle and a facility;    determining a vehicle identifier based on the captured image;    determining a party associated with the vehicle identifier by searching one or more vehicle registration authority databases each being associated with a particular jurisdiction, using the vehicle identifier as a key for searching the databases; and    processing payment from the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event, wherein processing payment is performed for each vehicle interacting with the facility.    
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  wherein processing payment includes forwarding the transaction event to a party for handling payment, wherein forwarding occurs according to at least one of on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58  wherein processing payment occurs on a periodic basis or when a number of transaction events meet a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58  wherein processing payment includes requesting payment over an electronic communications channel.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising: 
 providing an account for a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 receiving over a communications channel a request from the party associated with the vehicle identifier to review the transaction event;  
 sending to the party associated with the vehicle identifier the transaction event over the communications channel; and  
 deducting from the account an amount based on whether the party agrees with the contents of the transaction event.  
 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising: 
 accessing a vehicle registration authority for a mailing address of a party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 accessing a postal authority for a mailing address of the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 reconciling the mailing address from the vehicle registration authority with the mailing address from the postal authority; and  
 sending a bill to the party associated with the vehicle identifier based on the transaction event, wherein the payment request is sent to the reconciled mailing address.  
 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 58  further comprising: 
 receiving a dispute request from the party associated with the vehicle identifier;  
 sending the party associated with the vehicle identifier the transaction event; and  
 receiving from the party associated with the vehicle identifier payment based on whether the party agrees with the contents of transaction event.  
 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the party associated with the vehicle identifier includes a registered owner of the vehicle.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the payment is based on amount related to the transaction event.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the facility includes at least one of a toll road, a bridge, a tunnel and a parking facility.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 58  wherein a vehicle includes a registered vehicle that includes at least one of an automobile, a truck, motorcycle and a bus.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the transaction event includes at least one of a distance traveled by the vehicle through the facility, a time period the vehicle is present in a facility, the characteristic of the vehicle interacting with the facility, the speed at which the vehicle passes through the facility, and the vehicle passing through a point of the facility.