US 12,456,144 B2
System for renting a vehicle using non-fungible tokens (NFTs)
Naoki Ishihara, Nisshin (JP); Kuniaki Murakami, Nagoya (JP); Koji Hetsugi, Toyota (JP); Tomokazu Ishii, Okazaki (JP); and Tatsuya Owashi, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Oct. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/483,582.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-192819 (JP), filed on Dec. 1, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0185332 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. G06Q 30/0645 (2023.01); G06F 21/00 (2013.01); G06Q 20/06 (2012.01); G06Q 20/32 (2012.01); G06Q 20/36 (2012.01); G06Q 20/38 (2012.01); G07F 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 30/0645 (2013.01) [G06Q 20/3825 (2013.01); G06Q 20/389 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a server; and
a vehicle,
the server including:
a storage device that holds a distributed ledger in which a non-fungible token is recorded; and
a processor, wherein
the processor is configured to;
receive an issue request to issue, in association with a first non-fungible token that has been issued and recorded in the distributed ledger, one or more second non-fungible tokens, and
perform an issue process to issue and record in the distributed ledger the one or more second non-fungible tokens in response to receiving the issue request,
the first non-fungible token and the one or more second non-fungible tokens each include information representing authority to rent the vehicle, and representing points to be consumed when the vehicle is rented, and
the points are shared among the first non-fungible token and the one or more second non-fungible tokens,
the vehicle including:
a first communication device configured to connect to the server via a network,
a second communication device configured to connect to a user terminal through near field communication, and
an onboard device,
the first non-fungible token and the one or more second non-fungible tokens each further including first information indicating a holder of the non-fungible token and second information indicating whether transfer of the non-fungible token is prohibited,
the server further including a communication device that receives, from a user device, rental request requesting rental of the vehicle, the rental request including sender information indicating a user of the user terminal as a sender of the rental request,
the processor is further configured to:
determine, among the first non-fungible token and the one or more second non-fungible tokens, a non-fungible token having the first information matching the sender information as a subject non-fungible token held by the user, by referring to the distributed ledger,
determine, in accordance with the second information of the subject non-fungible token, whether transfer of the subject non-fungible token is prohibited, by referring to the distributed ledger, and
transmit, through the first communication device to the onboard device, a permission signal to permit locking and unlocking of the vehicle, in response to determining that the transfer is prohibited and that the subject non-fungible token is recorded in the distributed ledger as being associated with the user, and
wherein the onboard device is configured to:
receive, via the first communication device, the permission signal for renting of the vehicle, the permission signal having been generated based on validation of the transfer prohibition of the subject non-fungible token;
receive, via the second communication device, a request signal from the user terminal indicating a request to unlock or lock the vehicle; and
determine, based on processing of the received permission signal and the received request signal, a condition for locking or unlocking the vehicle.