US 12,423,743 B2
Systems and methods for third party satellite radio activation and management
Wing Yu Joseph Chan, Randolph, NJ (US); and Michael J. Caron, Bryan Township, NJ (US)
Assigned to Avis Budget Car Rental, LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed by AVIS BUDGET CAR RENTAL, LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed on Mar. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/610,077.
Application 18/610,077 is a continuation of application No. 17/558,320, filed on Dec. 21, 2021, granted, now 11,935,115.
Application 17/558,320 is a continuation of application No. 16/821,586, filed on Mar. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,205,221, issued on Dec. 21, 2021.
Application 16/821,586 is a continuation of application No. 14/057,662, filed on Oct. 18, 2013, granted, now 10,592,974, issued on Mar. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2025/0045816 A1, Feb. 6, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06Q 30/0645 (2023.01); G06Q 10/02 (2012.01)
CPC G06Q 30/0645 (2013.01) [G06Q 10/02 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for managing an installed satellite radio in a rental vehicle, the system comprising:
a reservation system configured to create vehicle rental reservations in response to customer inquiries, wherein the reservations include a check-out time, a check-in time and a designation of whether satellite radio services are requested;
a reservation management system including a processor configured to review rental reservations, identify reservations that include a satellite services designation and generate a request for activation of satellite radios in vehicles assigned to the identified rental reservations;
a server associated with the reservation management system, connected via a network connection to a satellite radio service provider, configured to transmit requests for activation of said satellite radios to the satellite radio service provider;
a server associated with the satellite radio service provider, configured to receive activation requests from reservation management system server via the network connection, identify the satellite radios associated with the activation requests, and cause the satellite radio service provider to transmit an activation signal to each identified satellite radio, thereby enabling rental customers that have requested satellite radio services in connection with a vehicle rental to receive satellite radio services in the vehicle associated with the reservation during the rental period; and
a fleet management system configured to:
generate a list of vehicles in a vehicle rental service fleet including, for each vehicle in the fleet, a designation of whether such vehicle includes satellite radio equipment and an indication of whether such vehicle is eligible to participate in the provision of satellite radio services;
store fleet data in a fleet management database; and
update the fleet data in the fleet management database to reflect vehicles added or removed from the fleet.