Method and apparatus for providing a toll service and flexible toll device

Abstract

A system, mobile device, backend server, and RFID toll module work in cooperation to automatically pay vehicular tolls to a toll agency that operates toll stations along a roadways travelled by the user of the mobile device. Upon approaching a toll station the mobile device enables the RFID toll module. The toll reader at the toll station transmits a toll reader signal that is received by the RFID toll module, which responds by transmitting a unique identifier. The unique identifier is associated with the mobile device at a toll account maintained by a toll service backend server. Upon completion of a toll transaction, the RFID toll module indicates the transaction to the mobile device, which forwards toll transaction information to the toll service backend server for payment from the toll account to the toll agency.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A toll service backend server, comprising:
 at least one processor that executes instruction code that causes the toll service backend server to:   maintain a toll account that is associated with a mobile device and that includes funds used to pay tolls on behalf of a user of the mobile device;   receive toll transaction information from the mobile device; and   reconcile toll payment with a toll agency by communicating with a toll agency backend server, wherein toll payment is performed by debiting the toll account for each toll transaction and forwarding funds from the toll account to the toll agency backend server.   
     
     
         2 . The toll service backend server of  claim 1 , wherein the toll service backend server further receives from the mobile device periodic location updates that indicate a location of the mobile device, and based on the location of the mobile device the toll service backend server determines that the mobile device is approaching a toll station. 
     
     
         3 . The toll service backend server of  claim 1 , wherein the toll service backend server maintains a record of locations of the mobile device.