JP2003099833A - Toll collection system, on-vehicle device, and toll collection method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reliability related to the toll collection by surely providing information necessary for the account settlement to a vehicle entering into a toll road. SOLUTION: When an entrance lane control device 64 detects that a vehicle carrying an on-vehicle device does not complete the entrance information transmission from a second antenna 22, that is to say, when the second antenna 22 detects that the vehicle carrying the on-vehicle device 5 does not receive the notification of completion of the entrance information reception, the entrance lane control device transmits the entrance information related to the ID number of an IC card 28 mounted on the on-vehicle device 5 to a ramp way server 82. When receiving the entrance information, the ramp way server 82 demands a response to the on-vehicle device 5 installed with the IC card 28 having the ID number through first and second ramp way antennas 78 and 80 and, when receiving the response signal in a ramp way antenna communication area 84, it transmits the entrance information related to the ID number to the on-vehicle device 5 of the applicable vehicle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toll collection system, a vehicle-mounted device, and a toll collection method used when a toll is collected from a vehicle at a toll gate provided on a toll road.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A non-stop automatic toll collection system (Electronic Toll Collection S) that automatically pays tolls using wireless communication on toll roads such as highways.
ystem: ETC system) has been introduced.

This ETC system is an I
D, the registration number of the vehicle, the type of vehicle, information about the toll gate of the toll road, etc. are stored in the IC card, and the vehicle-mounted device equipped with this IC card and having a wireless communication function is installed in the vehicle.
The on-vehicle device and the entrance / exit gate devices respectively installed at the entrances and exits of toll gates on the toll road are wirelessly communicated to settle the toll.

When introducing such an ETC system into a conventional toll collection system using a ticket, a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle device (hereinafter referred to as "ETC" car) and an in-vehicle device are installed. Vehicles that do not exist (hereinafter referred to as "non-ETC vehicles") will pass through the entrance gate and exit gate of the tollgate, so it is necessary to collect fees in a form that is appropriate for each vehicle. .

That is, at the entrance gate of a toll road, a non-ETC vehicle issues a toll ticket in which the entrance gate number and the vehicle type are magnetically recorded, for the ETC vehicle, and the ETC vehicle uses ETC by wireless communication by a communication device. Control is performed so as to store entrance information including an entrance gate number, a vehicle type, and the like in a memory of an on-vehicle device main body of the vehicle and an IC card mounted on the on-vehicle device. On the other hand, at the exit gate, the toll ticket is received from the driver of the non-ETC vehicle and processed by the toll ticket reader to artificially settle the toll. For ETC vehicles, the communication device installed at the exit gate. By the wireless communication, the above entrance information including the entrance toll gate number and vehicle type is read from the IC card of the ETC car, and the toll is automatically settled based on the read information.

A specific method for automatically paying the toll is realized by making an account withdrawal request or the like from the exit gate device to a host computer or the like which is a higher-level device. That is, for example, I of an IC card mounted on the vehicle-mounted device
Automatic settlement is performed by previously associating the D number and the like with the bank account number of the user's bank and using the IC card in a form similar to a credit card or a prepaid card.

Now, the processing of the entrance lane control device provided for each lane of the entrance gate of the toll road in such an ETC system will be described. That is, as shown in FIG. 9, when the vehicle Y enters the first antenna communication area 202 of the entrance gate, the entrance lane control device 200 controls the vehicle type identification device 204 to detect the vehicle Y, and The type of vehicle Y is determined. When the vehicle Y is detected, the first antenna 206 starts communication with the vehicle Y. In the case where the entrance lane control device 200 receives a response signal from the vehicle side through the first antenna 206 between the time when the vehicle Y is detected by the vehicle type determination device 204 and the time when it is detected by the vehicle detection device 207, Mainly ET this vehicle
It is determined that the vehicle is a C vehicle, and if the response signal cannot be received, the vehicle is a non-ETC vehicle.

Further, even if the vehicle is determined to be an ETC vehicle, if the response signal from the vehicle-mounted device is inappropriate from the result of communication between the first antenna 206 and the vehicle-mounted device, If the IC card installed in the vehicle-mounted device is an expired and unusable card and communication is not completed to the end due to communication errors such as interference, the vehicle is considered to be an abnormal ETC vehicle. To be judged.

That is, this abnormal ETC vehicle and non-ET
For car C, the roadside display 208 displays a guide prompting the vehicle to stop, and the start controller 210 is closed to prevent the vehicle from going straight, and at least the toll gate number is recorded. A ticket is issued by an automatic ticket issuing machine (ATIM) 212. When the pass ticket is pulled out from the pass ticket issuing machine 212, the roadside display 208
Displays a guide for prompting the vehicle to go straight, and the start controller 210 is opened to permit the vehicle to go straight.

ETC vehicles that do not correspond to abnormal ETC vehicles
When the vehicle Y enters the second antenna communication area 214, which is in the rear stage of the vehicle in the straight direction with respect to the first antenna communication area 202, the vehicle Y is detected by the front vehicle type determination device 216 and then detected by the rear vehicle detection device 218. By the time the communication is performed between the vehicle-mounted device and the second antenna 220, the entrance information including the toll gate number and the vehicle type determined by the vehicle type determination device 204 is transmitted from the second antenna 220 to the vehicle-mounted device. Sent to 203. The vehicle-mounted device 203 that has received the entrance information records it in the memory of the IC card.

On the other hand, the entrance lane control device 200 is
Since the vehicle detection device 207 counts the passage of each of the TC vehicle and the non-ETC vehicle and the ETC vehicle, the vehicle detection device detects the abnormal ETC vehicle and the non-ETC vehicle in which the driver has a pass ticket. When it is detected by 216 and passes through the second antenna communication area 214, the second antenna 220 is controlled so that the entrance information is not transmitted.

[0012]

However, in such an ETC system, the entrance information is not acquired.
There is a problem that the TC car passes through the entrance gate of the toll road. That is, when a communication failure such as interference occurs in the second antenna communication area 214 and the vehicle-mounted device 203 passes through the second antenna communication area 214 without receiving the entrance information from the second antenna 220, The above problem occurs.

Further, from the vehicle detection device 207 behind the first antenna communication area 202 to the second antenna communication area 214.
It is assumed that, for example, a two-wheeled ETC vehicle has passed a non-ETC vehicle in the traveling section before reaching the vehicle detection device 216 in front of the vehicle. In this case, the entrance lane control device 200 causes the non-ET before the overtaking occurs in the second antenna communication area 214 (vehicle detection device 207).
Since the passing of vehicles is detected in the passing order of the C car and the two-wheel ETC vehicle, after passing, the two-wheel ETC vehicle is actually passing through the second antenna communication area 214 in advance, Since the entrance lane control device 200 recognizes this as a non-ETC passage, the entrance information from the second antenna 220 is not transmitted to the two-wheel ETC vehicle.

Further, when the staff stationed at the entrance gate accidentally crosses the vehicle type discriminating device 204 and enters the first antenna communication area 202, it is erroneously determined that a non-ETC vehicle has passed, When the subsequent ETC vehicle passes through the second antenna communication area, the second antenna 2
There will be a problem that the entrance information is not transmitted from 20.

Thus, in the current ETC system,
Vehicles that have not acquired the entrance information required for fee settlement,
It has a problem of allowing entry into the main line.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and more reliably adds information necessary for toll payment to a vehicle that is about to enter a toll road, thereby tolling It is an object of the present invention to provide a toll collection system, a vehicle-mounted device, and a toll collection method that can improve the reliability of the toll collection.

[0017]

In order to achieve the above object, a toll collection system according to claim 1 of the present invention relates to toll collection by wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle using a toll road. A toll collection system for transmitting and receiving information, comprising first communication means for wirelessly communicating with a vehicle-mounted device of a vehicle entering an entrance gate of the toll road, and acquiring unique information for identifying the vehicle; Second communication for wirelessly communicating with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle that has acquired the unique information while entering the gate, and transmitting entrance information including the unique information to be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device at the entrance gate to the vehicle-mounted device And transmission of the entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device by the second communication means is incomplete, the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle-mounted device in the traffic section from the entrance gate to the toll road main line. Solid Characterized by comprising a third communication means for transmitting entrance information corresponding to the information.

The charge collection system according to claim 2 of the present invention is the charge collection system according to claim 1, wherein
The third communication means transmits the entrance information by time-division communication with the vehicle-mounted device of a plurality of vehicles for which transmission of the entrance information has not been completed within the traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road. It is characterized by having a wireless communication means for performing.

Further, in the toll collection system according to claim 3 of the present invention, in the toll collection system according to claim 1, the third communication means is within a traffic section from the entrance gate to the toll road main line. , If there are multiple in-vehicle devices of the vehicle for which the entrance information transmission was not completed,
It is characterized by having a plurality of wireless communication devices that wirelessly transmit corresponding entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device of each vehicle based on the unique information.

The on-vehicle device according to claim 4 of the present invention is
A vehicle-mounted device that is installed in a vehicle using a toll road and obtains entrance information by wirelessly communicating with first and second communication means installed at an entrance gate of the toll road.
Means for transmitting at least unique information for specifying the vehicle by wireless communication with the communication means, and means for receiving entrance information including the unique information by wireless communication with the second communication means; and the second communication. If the reception of the entrance information has not been completed by wireless communication with the means, the vehicle is uniquely identified by wireless communication with a third communication means installed in a traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road. Means for completing reception of entrance information corresponding to the information.

Further, a toll collection method according to claim 5 of the present invention is a toll collection method for transmitting and receiving information concerning toll collection by wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle using a toll road, A step of wirelessly communicating with a vehicle-mounted device of a vehicle entering an entrance gate of a toll road to obtain unique information for identifying the vehicle, and a vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle for which the unique information is being entered while entering the entrance gate A step of wirelessly communicating with the vehicle-mounted device at the entrance gate, and transmitting to the vehicle-mounted device entrance information including the unique information to be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device; and transmitting the entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device by the second communication unit. If not completed, a step of transmitting entrance information corresponding to the unique information of the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle within the traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road. .

That is, the present invention substantially detects a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle device that could not receive the entrance information necessary for the fee settlement at the entrance gate of the toll road, and responds to this vehicle with the unique information of the vehicle. Since the entrance information will be sent (again) within the traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road,
Vehicles that do not have entrance information necessary for payment at the exit can be prevented from entering the toll road, and the reliability in collecting tolls can be improved.

Further, according to the present invention, even when a large number of vehicles equipped with the vehicle-mounted device for which the entrance information could not be received continuously occur, a plurality of wireless communications are performed based on the unique information of each vehicle. Since individual communication by the device or time-division communication is performed, it is possible to reliably allocate and transmit a large number of entrance information items to be transmitted to the relevant vehicle.

[0024]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an E according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a TC system, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram functionally showing the ETC system in FIG. 1.

As shown in these figures, this ETC system is based on an on-board device (OBU: On Board) mounted on the vehicle 2.
Unit) 5 and the in-vehicle device 5 for exchanging information regarding toll collection, and an entrance processing device 6 and an exit gate device 8
And a host computer 12 that controls the plurality of entrance processing devices 6 and exit gate devices 8 installed for each toll road interchange 10, respectively. The entrance processing device 6 and the exit gate device 8 are installed on the interchange 10 that connects the toll road main line 14 and the general road 16.

Interchange 10 has a general road 16
There are provided a plurality of entrance lanes that the vehicle 5 passes through when entering the toll road main line 14, and a plurality of exit lanes where the toll is settled when the vehicle 5 exits from the toll road main line 14 to the general road 16. ing. Also, this interchange 1
A toll booth 18 is installed in 0.

The entrance processing device 6 and the exit gate device 8 include first / second antennas 20 and 22 and an exit antenna 2.
4 are provided respectively. These antennas 20,
Wireless communication is performed between the vehicle-mounted device antennas 22 and 24 and the vehicle-mounted device antenna 26 included in the vehicle-mounted device 5.

The vehicle-mounted device 5 is provided with a later-described card accommodating portion, and the IC card 28 is mounted therein. Vehicle-mounted device 5
Information is exchanged between the IC card 28 and the IC card 28 by exchanging information with the vehicle-mounted device 5 main body through a memory element such as an EEPROM or a flash memory mounted inside the IC card 28. On the other hand, for the transfer of information between the entrance processing device 6 and the exit gate device 8 and the vehicle-mounted device 5, the information stored in the buffer memory such as the internal dynamic RAM is wirelessly communicated.

More specifically, the vehicle-mounted device 5 is installed inside the vehicle 2, for example, on an inner panel on the passenger side, and as shown in FIG. 3, a card accommodating portion 30 and an interface portion 32 with the IC card 28. , The IC card processing unit 36 for processing the information read out through the interface unit 32 and storing the processing result in the memory 34, and transmitting the information stored in the memory 34 from the vehicle-mounted device antenna 26 and the vehicle-mounted device antenna 26. Received information in memory 3
4, a wireless control unit 38 for storing the information, an operation unit 40 including a ten-key pad, a designation key, an execution key, an eject button, etc. operated by the user, information received from the entrance processing device 6 and the exit gate device 8, etc. And a display unit 42 for visually displaying, as well as the entrance processing device 6 and the exit gate device 8
A voice generation unit 44 for performing voice guidance of the received information,
It is composed of a control unit 46 that controls each unit in an integrated manner. A vehicle 2 in which the vehicle-mounted device 5 is mounted in the memory 34
Other than vehicle length, vehicle height, number of axles, weight, application, features, etc.
Vehicle information including the vehicle type, the vehicle-mounted device ID number unique to each vehicle-mounted device, the registration number of the vehicle 12, and the like is stored in advance.

As shown in FIG. 4, the IC card 28 includes the flash memory 48 and the interface section 3 of the vehicle-mounted device 5.
Interface unit 5 for exchanging data with 2
0 and a CPU 52 that controls the interface unit 50 and the flash memory 48. The flash memory 48 stores the user's deposit account number, special contract information indicating whether or not the discount for persons with disabilities is applicable, and settlement information such as the expiration date of the contract. Furthermore, a card ID number for identifying the IC card 28 is stored in advance in the flash memory 48, and when the vehicle 2 passes through the entrance of the toll gate, it is used to identify the date and time of passage and the toll gate. Passage history information such as the toll gate number, the vehicle type of the vehicle 2, and the remaining card amount is stored in association with the card ID number of the IC card 28. Also, this IC card 28
When the vehicle-mounted device 5 is inserted into the vehicle-mounted device 5, the vehicle-mounted device 5 cannot be verified until the vehicle-mounted device 5 is validated by exchanging signals with the vehicle-mounted device 5.
The payment information and the like are transmitted to.

In such an ETC system, the vehicle-mounted device 5
ETC vehicles equipped with ET and non-ET not equipped with vehicle-mounted device 5
Since the vehicle C and the vehicle C are mixed and pass through the entrance gate 3 and the exit gate of the interchange 10, the toll collection according to the vehicle passing through each gate is performed.

That is, at the entrance gate 3 of the toll road,
For a non-ETC vehicle, a ticket for which an entrance gate number and a vehicle type are magnetically recorded is issued, and for an ETC vehicle, wireless communication by the entrance processing device 6 is used to obtain a travel section in which the ETC vehicle has traveled. The entrance information having the toll gate number and the vehicle type discriminated by the vehicle type discriminating apparatus as information is stored in the memory 34 of the vehicle-mounted device 5 of the ETC vehicle and the vehicle-mounted device 5.
The control is performed so that the IC card 28 attached to the memory is stored.

On the other hand, at the exit gate of the toll road, non-ET
The toll ticket is received from the driver of the C car and processed by the toll ticket reader to artificially settle the toll. For the ETC car, the exit gate device 8 is used for wireless communication by the on-board device of the ETC car. The entrance information having the information about the toll gate number and the vehicle type is read from the IC card 28 of No. 5, the toll is calculated based on the read entrance information, and the account withdrawal request to the host computer 12 is made. . Here, the IC card 28 is similar to a credit card or a prepaid card in that the ID number, which is an identification number for identifying the card, is associated with the customer information such as the account number of the bank deposit of the driver. It will be used in the form.

Here, the entrance processing device 6 provided in the ETC system of this embodiment and capable of more surely providing entrance information to a vehicle trying to enter the toll road.
The configuration will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. As shown in these drawings, the entrance processing device 6 includes a plurality of entrance lane devices 54 provided for each lane of the entrance gate 3 (see FIG. 1) in the interchange 10, and the installation positions of the entrance lane devices 54. On the other hand, it is composed of a rampway device 58 provided in a rampway 56 in a straight line in the straight direction of the vehicle 2 trying to enter the toll road, that is, in a traffic section from the entrance gate 3 to the toll road main line 14. .

The entrance lane equipment 54 is the first lane of the entrance gate 3.
A vehicle that has entered the first antenna communication area 60, which is the communicable area of the antenna 20, is sequentially detected, and a large vehicle is detected from actual information such as vehicle width, tire width, vehicle height, or vehicle length. , An ordinary car, a small car, and the like, and a vehicle type determination device 62 that comprehensively determines the vehicle type, and when the vehicle type determination device 62 detects the vehicle, wireless communication is started through the first antenna 20 to the ETC vehicle. The entrance lane control device 64 that transmits information such as the toll gate number and the time when the entrance gate 3 is entered, and the first antenna communication area 60 edge where the vehicle-mounted device 5 of the ETC vehicle and the first antenna 20 start to lose communication A first vehicle detection device 66 that is provided on the rear stage side and that notifies the detected vehicle to the entrance lane control device 64 as a vehicle starting from the first antenna communication area 60;
A roadside display 68 for displaying visual information and giving a stop or start instruction to the vehicle side; a start controller 69 for restricting the straight traveling of the vehicle by moving the straight traveling control bar up and down to open and close the entrance lane; Even for ETC vehicles, for example, vehicles that cannot communicate normally due to interference or non-ETC vehicles, the vehicle type number of the vehicle determined by the vehicle type determination device 62, the vehicle registration number, and the charge at the toll gate. The automatic ticket issuing machine (ATIM) 70 which automatically magnetically records and prints the station number, the date and time of passage through the toll gate, etc., and issues it to the vehicle side, and the first antenna communication area 60 through the first antenna communication area 60.
A second vehicle detection device 74 that detects a vehicle that is about to enter the second antenna communication area 72 in the subsequent stage, and a vehicle that is about to pass through the second antenna communication area 72 that is the communicable area of the second antenna 22. The third vehicle detection device 76 that detects 2 is included.

When the vehicle is detected by the second vehicle detection device 74, the second antenna 22 receives data from the vehicle-mounted device 5 of the vehicle 2 and the second antenna communication area 72 based on the instruction of the entrance lane control device 74. Exchange. Second antenna 22
Is the tollgate number for identifying the tollgate from other tollgates and the vehicle type of the vehicle 2 discriminated by the vehicle type discriminating device 62 and the vehicle-mounted device 5 received from the vehicle 2 side by the first antenna 20. The ID number (identification number) of the IC card 28 is associated and transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 5 as entrance information.

The entrance lane control device 64 is mounted on at least the vehicle-mounted device 5 through the first antenna 20 from the time the vehicle 2 is detected by the vehicle type identification device 62 to the time it is detected by the vehicle detection device 66. When the ID number information of the IC card 28 is received as a response signal from the vehicle side, this vehicle is mainly determined as an ETC vehicle, and when the response signal cannot be received, the vehicle is determined as a non-ETC vehicle. To do.

Further, the entrance lane control device 64 is
Even when it is determined that the vehicle is a TC vehicle, the first antenna 20
If the ID number information of the IC card 28, which is the response signal from the vehicle-mounted device 5, is inappropriate from the communication result between the vehicle-mounted device 5 and the vehicle-mounted device 5, the IC card 28 mounted in the vehicle-mounted device 5
Is an expired and unusable card, and if communication is not completed to the end due to a communication error such as interference, the vehicle is determined to be an abnormal ETC vehicle.

Further, under the control of the entrance lane control device 64, for the abnormal ETC vehicle and the non-ETC vehicle, the roadside display 68 displays a guide for urging the vehicle to stop and the start controller 69 is closed. The automatic ticket issuing machine (ATIM) 70 is a ticket for which a straight line of the vehicle is regulated and at least the toll gate number is recorded.
Issued by. When the pass ticket is removed from the automatic pass ticket issuing machine 70, the roadside display 68 displays a guide for prompting the vehicle to go straight, and the start controller 69 is opened to permit the vehicle to go straight.

Further, the entrance lane control device 64 is
Since the first vehicle detection device 66 counts the passage of each of the C vehicle and the non-ETC vehicle and the ETC vehicle, the abnormal ETC vehicle and the non-ETC vehicle having the pass ticket are the second vehicle. When it is detected by the detection device 74 and passes through the second antenna communication area 72, the second antenna 22 is controlled so as not to transmit the entrance information.

On the other hand, the rampway device 58 is the first rampway antenna provided in the rampway 56 (see FIG. 1) where vehicles cannot pass each other because the road width is narrow and the road is turning. 78 and a second lampway antenna 80, and a lampway server 82 for individually controlling the first and second lampway antennas 78, 80.

First and second lampway antennas 7
8, 80, the lampway antenna communication area 84, which is an area where communication with the vehicle-mounted device 5 is possible, is at the latter stage of the second antenna communication area 72, that is, the second antenna communication area 72 and the toll road main line 14. It is installed so that it is formed between.

Here, the above-mentioned entrance lane control device 64
Detects a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle device for which transmission of entrance information is not completed from the second antenna 22, that is, a vehicle equipped with an on-vehicle device for which the second antenna 22 has not received a reception completion notification of entrance information. In this case, the entrance information associated with the ID number of the IC card 28 attached to the vehicle-mounted device is transmitted to the lampway server 82.

When the rampway server 82 receives the entrance information, the rampway server 82 receives the first or second rampway antenna 78,
When a response is requested to the vehicle-mounted device in which the IC card 28 having the ID number is mounted through 80 and the response signal is received in the lampway communication antenna communication area 84, the entrance associated with this ID number The information is transmitted to the vehicle equipped with the corresponding vehicle-mounted device.

Further, when the rampway server 82 detects two vehicles equipped with the vehicle-mounted device for which the transmission of the entrance information is not completed at approximately the same time, the rampway server 82, for example, the first ID number of one IC card 28. Information on the entrance to the vehicle-mounted device 5 related to the above is transmitted to the first lampway antenna 78, and the entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device 5 related to, for example, the second ID number of the other IC card 28 is input to the second lampway antenna 80. To send. In other words, the lampway server 82 individually assigns different entrance information to each antenna and causes it to transmit.

Further, the lampway server 82 detects three or more vehicles equipped with the vehicle-mounted device for which the transmission of the entrance information has not been completed, that is, the number of the first and second lampway antennas 78 and 80 at the same time. In such a case, for example, one of the lampway antennas 78 performs time division processing to handle the transmission of a plurality of entrance information.

Next, in the ETC system of the present embodiment having such a configuration, the process performed by the entrance lane control device 64 and the rampway server 82 at the entrance gate 3 is shown in FIG.
And a flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the processing performed by the entrance lane control device 64 will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the entrance lane control device 64 determines whether or not the communication between the first antenna 20 and the vehicle side is normally performed in the first antenna communication area 60 (S2). According to the result of communication, the vehicle concerned is not ETC
Or, if it is determined to be an abnormal ETC vehicle (N in S2)
O), the toll ticket with the entrance information recorded is issued to the vehicle side through the toll ticket issuing machine 70 (S4).

On the other hand, as a result of the communication, when the ID number of the IC card 28 can be received from the vehicle side and it is determined that the vehicle is a valid ETC vehicle (YES in S2), the second antenna communication area 72 is displayed. Then, the entrance information in which the toll gate number, the vehicle type of the determined vehicle, and the ID number of the IC card 28 are associated with each other is transmitted from the second antenna 22 to the vehicle-mounted device 5 (S6).

Further, the entrance lane control device 64 determines whether or not the reception completion notification of the entrance information can be received from the vehicle-mounted device 5, and when the reception completion notification of the entrance information cannot be received (NO in S8). , The entrance information corresponding to the ID number is transmitted to the rampway server 82 (S10).

Next, the processing performed by the rampway server 82 will be described. When the rampway server 82 receives the entrance information from the entrance lane control device 64 (S12),
It is determined whether three or more types of entrance information (exceeding the number of lampway antennas) are received at approximately the same time (S
14). If the received entrance information is less than two types (NO in S14), the lampway server 82 individually assigns different entrance information to the first and second lampway antennas 78 and 80, and assigns the different entrance information. Send (S1
6).

On the other hand, when there are three or more types of received entrance information (YES in S14), that is, when three or more vehicles equipped with the vehicle-mounted device whose entrance information has not been transmitted are detected at substantially the same time, First and second lampway antenna 7
Either one of the 8 or 80 lampway antennas,
For example, the first lampway antenna 78 performs communication processing by time division communication with the vehicle-mounted device 5 of two vehicles (S1).
8), corresponding to the transmission of a plurality of entrance information.

After this, the ramp way server 82
A response signal is requested to the vehicle-mounted device 5 in which the corresponding IC card 28 is mounted, based on the ID associated with the entrance information, in the lampway antenna communication region 84 in the latter stage of the vehicle in the antenna communication region 72 in the straight direction of the vehicle. (S20).
When the lampway server 82 receives the response signal from the vehicle-mounted device 5 (S24) until a certain time has elapsed (S22), the lampway server 82 controls the lampway antennas 78 and 80 and outputs the entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device. (S24).

As described above, according to the ETC system of this embodiment, the vehicle equipped with the vehicle-mounted device 5 which could not receive the entrance information necessary for the fee settlement at the entrance gate 3 of the toll road is substantially detected, and this vehicle is detected. In contrast, the entrance information corresponding to the ID number of the IC card 28, which is the unique information of the vehicle, is provided (again) within the traffic section from the entrance gate 3 to the main road of the toll road.
Since the information is transmitted, a vehicle that does not have the entrance information necessary for payment at the exit can be prevented from entering the toll road, and the reliability in collecting the toll can be improved.

Further, according to the ETC system of this embodiment, even if a large number of vehicles equipped with the vehicle-mounted device for which the entrance information could not be received continuously occur, the ID number of the IC card Lampway antenna 78,8
Since the individual communication of each entrance information by 0 or the time-division communication of each entrance information by the rampway antennas 78 and 80 is performed, it is possible to reliably allocate and transmit a large number of entrance information to be transmitted to the corresponding vehicle. Become.

Although the present invention has been specifically described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, in the ETC system of the present embodiment, the ID number of the IC cart 28 is used as the identification information for specifying the vehicle to which the entrance information is to be transmitted, but instead of this, for example, the vehicle-mounted device 5 is used. The ID number may be applied. Further, in the present embodiment, in the post-payment-type closed system, the entrance information necessary for payment at the exit is retransmitted. However, of course, in the prepaid-type open system, the charge collection at the entrance is collected. In order to improve the reliability of the above, the present invention may be applied to the above prepaid system.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention, the entrance corresponding to the unique information is applied to the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle which cannot completely receive the entrance information necessary for the fee settlement at the entrance gate of the toll road. Information is retransmitted within the traffic section from the relevant vehicle passing through the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road, and the onboard information is received by the onboard device, so vehicles that do not have the entrance information necessary for payment at the exit are charged. It is possible to suppress entry into the road and improve reliability in collecting tolls.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an ETC system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram functionally showing the ETC system of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an on-vehicle device used in the ETC system of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an IC card mounted on the vehicle-mounted device of FIG.

5 is a block diagram showing an inlet processing device included in the ETC system of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing an entrance lane device included in the entrance processing device of FIG.

7 is a flowchart showing a process of an entrance lane control device included in the entrance processing device of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process of a rampway device provided in the entrance processing device of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing an entrance lane device included in a conventional ETC system.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... vehicle, 3 ... entrance gate, 5 ... vehicle-mounted device, 6 ... entrance processing device, 8 ... exit gate device, 10 ... interchange,
12 ... Host computer, 14 ... Toll road main line, 20
... first antenna, 22 ... second antenna, 26 ... in-vehicle device antenna, 28 ... IC card, 48 ... flash memory,
54 ... Entrance lane equipment, 56 ... Lampway, 58 ... Lampway equipment, 60 ... First antenna communication area, 62 ... Vehicle type identification device, 64 ... Entrance lane control device, 66 ... First vehicle detection device, 72 ... Two-antenna communication area, 74 ... Second
Vehicle detection device, 76 ... Third vehicle detection device, 78 ... First rampway antenna, 80 ... First rampway antenna, 82 ... Second rampway server, 84 ... Lampway antenna communication area.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G08G 1/017 G08G 1/09 F 1/09 G06K 19/00 Q H04B 7/26 H04B 7/26 H F Term (reference) 5B035 AA13 BB09 BC00 5B058 CA13 YA20 5H180 AA01 BB04 BB12 EE07 EE10 5K067 AA33 BB03 BB34 CC04 DD17 DD24 EE02 EE10 FF04 FF05 HH23 HH28 KK03

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A toll collection system for transmitting and receiving information about toll collection by wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle using a toll road, the vehicle on-board device of a vehicle entering an entrance gate of the toll road. A first communication unit that wirelessly communicates and acquires unique information for identifying the vehicle, and wirelessly communicates with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle that has acquired the unique information and is entering the entrance gate, and at the entrance gate. Second communication means for transmitting entrance information including the unique information to be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device to the vehicle-mounted device, and transmission of the entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device by the second communication means have not been completed. In this case, a third communication means for transmitting the entrance information corresponding to the unique information of the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle within the traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road is provided. Fee collection Receiving system. 2. The toll collection system according to claim 1, wherein the third communication unit has a plurality of incomplete transmissions of entrance information within a traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road. A toll collection system comprising wireless communication means for transmitting the entrance information by time-division communication with an on-vehicle device of a vehicle. 3. The toll collection system according to claim 1, wherein the third communication unit is a vehicle for which transmission of entrance information has not been completed within a traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road. When there are a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices, the fee collection system comprises a plurality of wireless communication devices that wirelessly transmit corresponding entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device of each vehicle based on the unique information. 4. An in-vehicle device, which is installed in a vehicle using a toll road and obtains entrance information by wirelessly communicating with first and second communication means installed at an entrance gate of the toll road, wherein: Means for transmitting at least unique information for identifying the vehicle by wireless communication with the communication means, and receiving entrance information including the unique information for wireless communication with the second communication means, and the second communication If the reception of the entrance information has not been completed by wireless communication with the means, the vehicle is uniquely identified by wireless communication with a third communication means installed in a traffic section from the entrance gate to the main road of the toll road. A vehicle-mounted device comprising: means for completing reception of entrance information corresponding to the information. 5. A toll collection method for transmitting and receiving information regarding toll collection by wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle using a toll road, comprising: an on-vehicle device for a vehicle entering an entrance gate of the toll road. Wirelessly communicating and acquiring unique information for identifying the vehicle, wirelessly communicating with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle that has acquired the unique information that is entering the entrance gate, and then to the vehicle-mounted device at the entrance gate When the step of transmitting entrance information including the unique information to be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device and the transmission of the entrance information to the vehicle-mounted device by the second communication means are incomplete, the fee is charged from the entrance gate. A step of transmitting entrance information corresponding to the unique information of the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle within a traffic section up to the main road.