Zonal’s latest patent has several claims that specifically relate to using zones for toll roads, parking lots and other paid-access areas.
Zonal’s Toll Zone is created by zoning and access/ egress area – as a “virtual toll booth” or zoning the entire toll area, including toll lanes and HOV lanes.
The zonal app device reports into the zone, logs the trip and pays the toll either as a virtual wallet or by a virtual ticket to the tollroad billing department. In that regard, the app is not tied to any one vehicle, nor is it being tracked. It’s a moveable pass recognized by the toll authority.
Same drill for parking lots, controlled access areas, etc. the app is a moveable pass that is not tracked
This eliminates the need for a transponder- EZ Pass, etc. – and enables toll road authorities to have a common interoperable solution in one phone app.
Zonal’s patent also covers the vehicle’s navigation, so Zonal’s API can be added to enable the vehicle to access the toll zone automatically – no phone needed. Likewise, rental car navigation systems can add the API and pay the tolls automatically, without a phone.
In the event the phone is moved to another vehicle – the app will pay the toll as if paying cash. The toll authority wants to get paid, it doesn’t care how. If more than one person has the app in a car, and they have the app on, multiple payments can be resolved by associating the payment with a particular vehicle via the toll road cameras – one vehicle one payment.
Since the app runs in the background, it does not use much battery power and can be set to “sleep” when not near an toll zone, polling its position periodically to conserve energy.
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