The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 12, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 17, 2008
Rick A. Hamilton, Ii, Charlottesville, VA (US);
Colin George Harrison, Brookfield, CT (US);
Naveen Lamba, Haymarket, VA (US);
James W. Seaman, Falls Church, VA (US);
Rick A. Hamilton, II, Charlottesville, VA (US);
Colin George Harrison, Brookfield, CT (US);
Naveen Lamba, Haymarket, VA (US);
James W. Seaman, Falls Church, VA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for randomly setting a travel fee. A usage attribute of vehicle traffic travelling upon a toll thoroughfare is observed and compared to a threshold. As a function of comparing the attribute to the threshold, a plurality of different toll rates are randomly assigned to each of a plurality of vehicles, each of the vehicles either travelling upon the toll thoroughfare or potentially entering the toll thoroughfare. An occupant of a vehicle is notified of a toll rate randomly assigned, and fees or credits associated with travel by the occupant's vehicle are charged (levied or awarded) at the randomly assigned toll rate.