US 11,948,138 B2
Connected car as a payment device
Kristopher Keith Gaudin, Bloomington, IL (US); Leo Nelson Chan, Normal, IL (US); and Justin Davis, Normal, IL (US)
Assigned to STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Bloomington, IL (US)
Filed by STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Bloomington, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/116,044.
Application 18/116,044 is a continuation of application No. 17/714,989, filed on Apr. 6, 2022, granted, now 11,631,071.
Application 17/714,989 is a continuation of application No. 17/013,081, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,328,284, issued on May 10, 2022.
Application 17/013,081 is a continuation of application No. 15/428,646, filed on Feb. 9, 2017, granted, now 10,810,572, issued on Oct. 20, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/362,148, filed on Jul. 14, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/360,008, filed on Jul. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/295,596, filed on Feb. 16, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2023/0206203 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 20/20 (2012.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01); G06Q 20/32 (2012.01); G06Q 20/40 (2012.01); G06Q 30/06 (2023.01); G06Q 50/06 (2012.01); G07C 9/25 (2020.01); G07C 9/26 (2020.01); G07F 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 20/204 (2013.01) [B60W 60/00 (2020.02); G06Q 20/20 (2013.01); G06Q 20/202 (2013.01); G06Q 20/206 (2013.01); G06Q 20/3226 (2013.01); G06Q 20/3278 (2013.01); G06Q 20/40145 (2013.01); G06Q 20/405 (2013.01); G06Q 30/06 (2013.01); G06Q 50/06 (2013.01); G07C 9/257 (2020.01); G07F 15/001 (2013.01); G07C 9/26 (2020.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method of using an autonomous vehicle as an electronic payment device, the method comprising:
determining, by one or more processors in the autonomous vehicle via a fuel level sensor, that an amount of fuel in the autonomous vehicle is less than a threshold amount of fuel;
providing, by the one or more processors, navigation directions for the autonomous vehicle to navigate to a merchant location;
determining, by the one or more processors, that the autonomous vehicle has arrived at the merchant location;
transmitting, by the one or more processors to a merchant communication terminal at the merchant location, a request to purchase fuel;
controlling, by the one or more processors in the autonomous vehicle, a fuel tank cover to open the fuel tank cover for receiving the fuel; and
providing, by the one or more processors, an indication to the merchant communication terminal that the fuel tank cover is open,
wherein, in response to receiving the indication that the fuel tank cover is open, the merchant communication terminal causes a fuel pump to provide fuel to the autonomous vehicle.