user account setup and payment information Quintuple

Bidirectional?: True

user account setup and payment information (A-Interconnect): This CVRIA application interconnect encapsulates all of the Layer 2 information flows between two application objects: 'Terminal Fare Management', and 'PAC Payment Administration'. This application interconnect is bi-directional since the underlying layer 2 information flows carry data in both directions.

Public Information Device (Source Physical Object): The Public Information Device provides access to traveler information at transit stations, transit stops, other fixed sites along travel routes (e.g., rest stops, merchant locations), and major trip generation locations such as special event centers, hotels, office complexes, amusement parks, and theaters. Traveler information access points include kiosks and informational displays supporting varied levels of interaction and information access. At transit stops this might be simple displays providing schedule information and imminent arrival signals. This may be extended to include multi-modal information including traffic conditions and transit schedules to support mode and route selection at major trip generation sites. Personalized route planning and route guidance information can also be provided based on criteria supplied by the traveler. It also supports service enrollment and electronic payment of transit fares.

In addition to the traveler information provision, the Public Information Device also supports security and safety monitoring of public areas. This monitoring includes traveler activated silent alarms, as well as surveillance and sensor equipment. The surveillance equipment includes video (e.g. CCTV cameras) and/or audio systems. The sensor equipment includes threat sensors (e.g. chemical agent, toxic industrial chemical, biological, explosives, and radiological sensors) and object detection sensors (e.g. metal detectors).

Terminal Fare Management (Source Application Object): "Terminal Fare Management" provides the capability for the traveler to access and use a common fare medium for transit fares, tolls, and/or parking lot charges using a public kiosk. It accepts a service request and means of payment, verifies eligibility, calculates the amount due, collects payment, and identifies payment problems. It may be implemented using a traveler card reader in a kiosk that includes a communications interface to the financial infrastructure to support payment collection and reconciliation.

Payment Administration Center (Destination Physical Object): The 'Payment Administration Center' provides general payment administration capabilities and supports the electronic transfer of funds from the customer to the transportation system operator or other service provider. Charges can be recorded for tolls, vehicle-mileage charging, congestion charging, or other goods and services. It supports traveler enrollment and collection of both pre-payment and post-payment transportation fees in coordination with the financial infrastructure supporting electronic payment transactions. The system may establish and administer escrow accounts depending on the clearinghouse scheme and the type of payments involved. It may post a transaction to the customer account, generate a bill (for post-payment accounts), debit an escrow account, or interface to a financial infrastructure to debit a customer designated account. It supports communications with the ITS Roadway Payment Equipment to support fee collection operations. As an alternative, a wide-area wireless interface can be used to communicate directly with vehicle equipment. It also sets and administers the pricing structures and may implement road pricing policies in coordination with the Traffic Management Center.

PAC Payment Administration (Destination Application Object): "PAC Payment Administration" enables payment for road use based on VMT, vehicle type, vehicle emissions, or other parameters. It establishes a price schedule based on these parameters that may vary by time, location or zone, vehicle type, and/or vehicle behavior. Pricing strategies may also include incentives that allow reimbursement of fees previously paid for good behavior (e.g., VMT reductions, economical driving behavior, avoidance of peak periods or congested zones). It receives vehicle data (e.g., time stamped roadways used by the vehicle since the last transmission) and computes the total cost to the vehicle owner for payment. Based on owner preference, this cost is either billed to the owner or requested from an in-vehicle payment instrument. Payment for use of roadways not operated by the specific instance of the VMT Payment Administration that the vehicle is registered with, will be reconciled. Payment violations can be reported to Enforcement Agencies when appropriate. Finally, vehicle owners can interact with this object using personal devices or public terminals to setup and edit account preferences for owned vehicles, get account reports, and make payments.