JPH1021438A - Automatic toll collection system for toll roads and its on-board equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] Even if a card-type recording information medium required for toll collection is removed from the onboard unit and passes through the roadside machine at the exit, the collection of toll by the collection person can be performed. Do it with a simple device without using a road machine. SOLUTION: The usage fee is communicated with a road machine installed at at least an entrance and an exit of a toll road, and based on toll collection information regarding toll payment recorded on a card type storage medium 2 detachably mounted. Is provided in the vehicle-mounted device 1 of the automatic toll collection system in which the roadside information transmitted from the roadside device is transferred to the card type storage medium 2 and stored therein. Since the information stored in the card type storage medium 2 can be read by a simple reading device,
By installing a card-type storage medium reading device at a toll booth or the like where the staff member is located, the fee can be easily collected without using a roadside machine.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic toll collection system for automatically collecting usage fees on a toll road by communicating with vehicles traveling on the toll road, and a vehicle-mounted device used for the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various automatic toll collection systems have been proposed which make gates at toll gates and the like provided at entrances and exits of toll roads unattended, cashless payment of tolls, and enable non-stop traffic at toll gates. I have.

For example, in an automatic toll collection system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-14043 or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-169977, a road machine is installed at a check barrier such as an entrance and an exit of a toll road and a branch point. The vehicle is equipped with an in-vehicle device capable of wireless communication with the on-road device,
By communicating between them, a usage fee is automatically collected from a card-type storage medium such as an IC card detachably mounted on the vehicle-mounted device. In other words, at the entrance, the information is transmitted from the on-road unit to the vehicle passing the roadside information such as the identification information of the entrance gate and the passage date and time, and stored in the memory of the on-board unit mounted on the vehicle. Then, at the exit, the identification information of the entrance gate and the check barrier stored in the memory of the in-vehicle device of the passing vehicle and the vehicle side information such as the type of the vehicle are transmitted from the in-vehicle device to the on-road device. The roadside machine calculates a usage fee by obtaining a route from the entrance to the exit, and collects a fee from an IC card mounted on the vehicle-mounted device by a prepaid system, a deposit system, a credit system, or the like. As a result, information relating to payment of the usage fee, such as balance information and payment history information, stored in the IC card is rewritten.

[0004]

In the automatic toll collection system of the type in which an IC card is mounted and used as described above, the same IC card is used for purposes other than automatic toll collection.
For example, it is conceivable that the information can be used for shopping in a service area of a toll road. In this case, the IC card is removed from the in-vehicle device for use. However, since it is possible to forget to attach the IC card to the in-vehicle device after such use, the following problem occurs.

[0005] That is, since the IC card is not mounted on the vehicle-mounted device at the time of communication between the road device and the vehicle-mounted device at the exit,
Since payment conditions such as balance information necessary for collecting the fee are not known, automatic collection of the fee becomes impossible. In this case, the user cannot pass through the exit gate as it is, but is guided to the tollgate gate where the collection staff is present, where the user stops once and pays the fare.

However, travel route information such as information for identifying an entrance gate of a toll road required for toll calculation is stored in the memory of the vehicle-mounted device. Needs to be read from the in-vehicle device. For this reason, a reader having the same function as a roadside machine must be installed at a tollgate (payment counter) where a collection member is present, which hinders simplification of the automatic toll collection system.

According to the present invention, even if a card-type recording information medium required for toll collection is removed from an on-vehicle unit and passes through a road unit at an exit, the charge collection by the collection staff is performed by the road unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic toll collection system that can be performed by a simple device without using a device, and an in-vehicle device thereof.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a method for communicating with at least a road machine installed at an entrance and an exit of a toll road,
The on-board unit of the automatic toll collection system, which automatically collects the usage fee based on the toll collection information on the toll payment recorded in the detachably mounted card type storage medium, is transmitted from the on-road unit. A means for transferring roadside information to the card-type storage medium and storing the information is provided.

That is, roadside information such as identification information of an entrance gate for determining a traveling route required for toll collection is stored in the card type storage medium. Generally, information stored in a card-type storage medium can be read by a simple reading device. Therefore, by installing a card-type storage medium reading device at a toll booth where a collection member is present, the collection member reads the identification information of the entrance gate necessary for collecting the charge from the card-type storage medium and calculates the usage fee. At the same time, a usage fee can be collected according to the information on the fee payment recorded on the card type storage medium.

[0010] More specifically, a card-type storage for storing the on-vehicle device with communication means for communicating with on-road units provided at least at an entrance and an exit of a toll road, a memory, a control means, and vehicle-side information. An interface capable of detachably mounting a medium and transmitting information to and from a card-type storage medium, and receiving roadside information transmitted from the roadside device by the control means through the communication means. Read out the vehicle side information stored in the card type storage medium, transmit it to the roadside machine via the communication means, and transfer the road side information stored in the memory to the card type storage medium. And memorize it.

Further, the vehicle-mounted device is provided with means for detecting the mounting of the card-type storage medium. When it is detected that the card-type storage medium has been mounted, the roadside information is stored in the card-type storage medium by the control means. Judge whether or not
When the roadside information is stored, the roadside information can be read out and stored in the memory. According to this, whether the card type storage medium is newly installed,
Alternatively, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle has been removed and then reinstalled in a service area or the like, and the roadside information stored in the memory of the vehicle-mounted device matches the roadside information stored in the card type storage medium. Malfunction can be prevented.

It is desirable that the control means of the on-vehicle device deletes or discards the roadside information stored in the card-type storage medium after the toll collection processing by the roadside device installed at the exit ends. According to this, fraudulent use of the roadside information stored in the card-type storage medium can be prevented.

In the automatic toll collection system of the present invention, the on-board unit is configured as described above, and a reading device for reading roadside information stored in a card-type storage medium is installed at a toll booth or a checkout station where a collection member is present. This can be achieved by performing

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration on the vehicle side of this embodiment. In FIG.
Is an antenna 1 for communicating with a road machine not shown.
01 and the road-vehicle communication device 10 connected to the antenna 101
2 and the main controller 1 connected to the road-vehicle communication device 102
03 and the main memory 10 connected to the main controller 103
4 and an IC card interface 105, and are fixedly mounted on the vehicle body. Roadside vehicle communication device 1
02 has a function of communicating with a roadside machine, and has a main controller 1
Generates a signal to be transmitted to the roadside device based on the command of 03,
This is modulated and transmitted via the antenna 101, and the signal from the on-road unit is received and demodulated.
To send to. The main memory 104 stores roadside information and the like received via the road-to-vehicle communication device 102 in response to a command from the main controller 103. IC card interface 105
Is formed so as to be detachably mounted on the IC card 2 and exchanges signals with the IC card 2 in accordance with a command from the main controller 103. The main controller 103 controls the road-vehicle communication device 102, the main memory 104, and the IC card interface 105.

On the other hand, the IC card 2 includes an IC card interface 201, a card controller 202, a temporary storage memory 203, a collection information memory 204, and an identification information memory 205. IC card 2
It is formed so as to be detachably attached to the on-vehicle device 1, and the IC card interface 201 and the I
In-vehicle device 1 via C card interface 105
A signal can be transmitted and received between the two. Similarly, I
Signals can be transmitted and received between other devices connected to the C card interface 201. Card controller 20
Reference numeral 2 denotes a signal transmission / reception operation between the IC card 2 and another device such as the in-vehicle device 1, and writing and reading of data to and from the temporary storage memory 203, the received information memory 204, and the identification information memory 205. Control behavior. The temporary storage memory 203 temporarily stores roadside information and the like transmitted from roadside devices such as entrances, check barriers, and exits of toll roads received by the road-to-vehicle communication device 102 of the vehicle-mounted device 1.
The receipt information memory 204 stores numerical data as money information such as a balance and information corresponding to a statement of use.
The identification information memory 205 stores the IC card 2 and the in-vehicle device 1
ID information for identifying the password, a password for security, and the like are stored. These memories of the IC card 2 may be mounted on the IC card 2 as a semiconductor memory for each memory, or may be allocated as a memory area or a file in one semiconductor memory. Also, IC
As a fee collection method for the card 2, a prepaid method, a deposit method, a credit method, or the like can be applied.

Next, the operation will be described. When the in-vehicle device 1 receives a transmission signal from a roadside device provided at a check barrier at an entrance or exit of a toll road, a branch point, or an entry point, the antenna 101 receives the transmission signal, and transmits the signal to the road-vehicle communication device 102. Forward. Roadside vehicle communication device 10
In step 2, the reception signal from the antenna 101 is demodulated, and the roadside information such as the ID information (identification information) of the tollgate and the date and time of passage is transferred to the main controller 103.

In the main controller 103, the road-vehicle communication device 102
Is stored in the main memory 104, the type of tollgate such as an entrance, an exit, and a check barrier is determined from the contents of the roadside information, and information to be transmitted to the roadside machine is determined if necessary. Then, the data is transferred to the road-to-vehicle communication device 102. In addition, the main controller 103 transfers a control command for reading information of the IC card 2 connected to the IC card interface 105 and writing information stored in the main memory 104, and performs communication with the IC card interface 105. Data transfer control with the main memory 104 is performed. For example, in communication with the roadside machine at the entrance, the main controller 103 stores the vehicle-side information such as ID information, vehicle type information, user information, and toll collection information for identifying the vehicle-mounted device 1 from the identification information memory 205. Is read out and transmitted to the on-road unit via the road-to-vehicle communication device 102. That is, the road-vehicle communication device 102
Modulates data such as user information transferred from the main controller 103 as a transmission signal and supplies it to the antenna 101. This transmission signal is transmitted from the antenna 101 to the on-road unit.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to the present embodiment using the IC card 2. FIG. 2 (1) shows a processing operation when the IC card 2 is mounted on the vehicle-mounted device 1, and FIG. 2 (2) shows a vehicle equipped with the vehicle-mounted device 1 passing through an entrance of a toll road or a check barrier. FIG. 2 (3) shows the operation when the vehicle passes through the exit of the toll road.

As shown in FIG. 2A, when the IC card 2 is mounted on the in-vehicle device 1, the main controller 103 senses that the IC card 2 has been mounted via the IC card interface 105. Initialization such as discarding at least the roadside information data held in the memory 104 is performed (step S1). Next, data is read from the temporary storage memory 203 of the IC card 2 via the IC card interface 105, the IC card interface 201, and the card controller 202, and it is determined whether roadside information is stored (step S2). . If it is determined that the roadside information is stored, the read data is stored in the roadside information storage area of the main memory 104 (step S3). On the other hand, when the roadside information is not stored, the processing at the time of mounting the card is terminated.

As shown in FIG. 2 (2), when the vehicle enters the entrance,
When passing through the check barrier, a road-vehicle communication process is started between the entrance and a road machine installed at the check barrier. In this processing, at least roadside information including information such as a tollgate ID and a passing date and time sent from the on-road unit is stored in the main memory 104, and vehicle information including the identification ID of the in-vehicle unit 1 is transmitted (step S1). S1
1). After the communication is completed, the main controller 103 sets the main memory 104
Memory for temporary storage on the IC card 2
03 and stored (step S12).

When the vehicle passes through several check barriers after passing through the entrance, all roadside information communicated before reaching the exit is stored in the main memory 104,
Each time the communication with each on-road unit is completed, the temporary storage memory 20
3 also stores these roadside information.

As shown in FIG. 2 (3), when the vehicle passes through the exit, a road-vehicle communication process is started with a roadside machine installed at the exit. In this process, the roadside information including at least the tollgate ID, the passing date and time, and the toll sent from the roadside device is stored in the main memory 104, and the identification ID of the vehicle-mounted device 1 and the roadside information held in the main memory 104 are stored. Vehicle information including information is transmitted, and toll collection is performed from the received fee information (step S21). Further, roadside information stored in the temporary storage memory 203,
The roadside information held in the main memory 104 is discarded after toll collection is completed by road-to-vehicle communication at the exit (step S22), and the main memory 104 is initialized (step S23).

Next, a charge settlement apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The toll settlement device is a reader installed at a gate where a toll collector is located at an exit of a toll road.
In FIG. 3, a charge clearing apparatus 3 for clearing the usage charge from the IC card 2 is provided with the IC card 2 attached thereto.
Card interface 3 for exchanging information with
01, the toll collector's console 302 operated by the toll collector to collect the toll, and the input from the IC card interface 301 and the toll collector's console 302 to calculate the toll and to access the IC card 2. A signal for writing the fee collection and receipt details to the IC card 2 by the I
The control unit 303 includes a controller 303 that outputs a signal via the C card interface 301, and a display 304 such as a CRT for receiving a display signal from the controller 303 and displaying a detailed charge.

Next, an example of the processing of the fee clearing apparatus 3 is shown in FIG.
The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
If the IC card 2 is removed from the vehicle-mounted device 1 after the vehicle passes through the toll road entrance and before the vehicle exits, if the toll collection cannot be performed by road-to-vehicle communication at the exit, the vehicle will be collected. You will be guided to a manned tollgate with staff. Then, when the user hands the IC card 2 to the collection member, the collection member attaches the received IC card 2 to the charge settlement device 3 and
Connect to C card interface 301.

Charge settlement device 3 equipped with IC card 2
Reads the roadside information from the temporary storage memory 203 of the IC card 2 via the IC card interface 301 (step S31) and transfers it to the controller 303. The controller 303 automatically calculates the fare from the read roadside information (step S32), and displays the read roadside information and the amount to be charged on the display 304. The receiver is the display 304
Is transmitted to the user. If the user wishes to make an electronic payment, the I
When the operation for withdrawing the required amount from the C card 2 is performed at the reception desk 302, whereby the charge is automatically deducted from the IC card 2 via the IC card interface 301, and cash settlement is desired. , The collection member receives cash (steps S33 to S35). Next, an operation for preparing a statement is performed on the receipt operator console 302, and as a result, the IC
Usage details information including the date, the entrance tollgate name, the exit tollgate name, the usage amount, and the like are registered in the collection / reception information memory 204 of the card 2, and the toll collection is completed (step S3).
6). Also, after the fee collection is completed, the fee settlement device 3
The roadside information written in the temporary storage memory 203 of the card 2 is discarded (step S37).

According to the present embodiment, even if the vehicle passes through the exit with the IC card 2 removed from the vehicle-mounted device 1 before passing through the exit after the vehicle has passed through the entrance of the toll road, the entrance, etc. Since the roadside information sent from the roadside machine is stored in the temporary storage memory 203 of the IC card 2, if a simple IC card reader is used at a checkout station or the like where a collection staff is present, the roadside information can be read from the IC card 2. It can be read, and the usage fee can be calculated based on this.

Further, when the card is installed, the existence of roadside information is confirmed and read, so that it is possible to determine whether the IC card 2 is newly installed or is removed once in a service area or the like. This can prevent the in-vehicle device from malfunctioning. Furthermore, after the toll collection at the exit is completed, the roadside information temporarily stored in the IC card 2 is discarded, so that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of fraudulent acts that reuse the temporarily stored information.

Further, according to the present embodiment, even if the IC card 2 is removed from the on-vehicle communication unit 1 after the vehicle has passed through the entrance of the toll road and before the vehicle exits the toll road, the IC can be used.
By reading the roadside information held by the card 2 by the fare settlement device 3, it is possible to automatically calculate the usage fee and collect the fee without relying on the user's declaration. In addition, since the toll can be collected from the IC card 2, it is possible to pay at a manned toll booth without requiring cash.

The IC card interface 201 of the IC card 2, the IC card interface 105 of the vehicle-mounted device 1, and the IC card interface 301 of the toll settlement device 3 are provided with wireless communication means capable of bidirectional communication. The card 2 may be used as a non-contact type IC card.

The present invention is not limited to the IC guard, but can be applied to any card-type storage medium that can realize the functions described in the above embodiments.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if the card-type recording information medium required for toll collection is removed from the in-vehicle unit and passes through the exit road unit, a simple device that allows the collection staff to collect the toll without using the road unit Can be done with

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle device and an IC card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a fee settlement device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the fee settlement apparatus in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Onboard equipment 2 IC card 3 Charge settlement device 101 Antenna 102 Roadside-vehicle communication device 103 Main controller 104 Main memory 105,201,301 IC card interface 202 Card controller 203 Temporary storage memory 303 Controller

Claims (7)

[Claims] The present invention relates to a usage fee based on toll payment information recorded on a card-type storage medium which is detachably mounted by communicating with on-road devices installed at least at an entrance and an exit of a toll road. A toll road, comprising means for transferring roadside information transmitted from the roadside device to the card-type storage medium and storing the information on the roadside, in an on-vehicle device of an automatic toll collection system for automatically collecting In-vehicle equipment with automatic toll collection system. 2. A card-type storage medium for storing communication information, a memory, a control means, and a vehicle-side information that can be detachably mounted on the toll road at least at an entrance and an exit of a toll road. And an interface capable of transmitting information to and from the card-type storage medium, wherein the control means receives the roadside information transmitted from the roadside device via the communication means, and In the vehicle-mounted device of the automatic toll collection system for toll roads, which has a function of reading out the vehicle side information stored in the card type storage medium and transmitting the information to the roadside device via the communication means. The on-board unit of an automatic toll collection system for a toll road, wherein the control means transfers the roadside information stored in the memory to the card-type storage medium for storage. 3. A detecting means for detecting the mounting of the card-type storage medium, wherein the control means detects the mounting of the card-type storage medium by the detecting means and detects the mounting of the card-type storage medium. The toll road according to claim 2, wherein it is determined whether or not the roadside information is stored. If the roadside information is stored, the roadside information is read and stored in the memory. In-vehicle device of automatic toll collection system. 4. The controller according to claim 2, wherein the controller deletes the roadside information stored in the card-type storage medium after the toll collection process by the roadside machine installed at the exit is completed. Or a vehicle-mounted device of the automatic toll collection system for toll roads according to 3. 5. A roadside machine is installed at least at an entrance and an exit of a toll road, a vehicle-mounted device is mounted on the vehicle, and the roadside device communicates with the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle passing through the toll road. Thereby, in an automatic toll collection system for a toll road that receives a usage fee from a card-type storage medium detachably attached to the on-vehicle device, the on-vehicle device is transmitted from at least the on-road device provided at the entrance. A function of storing roadside information on the entrance in the card-type storage medium, at a gate where a toll collector at the exit of the toll road is located,
An automatic toll collection system for toll roads, comprising: a reader for reading at least roadside information on the entrance stored in the card-type storage medium. 6. The roadside device further comprising: a determination unit configured to determine, when the card-type storage medium is mounted, whether or not the roadside information transmitted from the roadside device is stored in the card-type storage medium. 6. The toll road automatic toll collection system according to claim 5, wherein when the information is stored, the roadside information is read out and stored in a memory of the vehicle-mounted device. 7. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 5, further comprising a discarding unit for discarding the roadside information stored in the card-type storage medium when the use fee is completely received. Automatic toll collection system for toll roads.