JP2008102878A - Toll collection system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toll collection system, capable of preventing erroneous approach of a non-ETC vehicle or abnormal ETC vehicle to an ETC exclusive lane. <P>SOLUTION: The ETC system for automatically performing toll collection processing for a toll road to a vehicle 6 which will pass through an ETC exclusive lane 2 of an entrance toll gate comprises an antenna device 4 set in a predetermined position of an approach lane 1 for approaching the ETC exclusive lane 2. It is detected through the antenna device 4 that the passing vehicle 6 is a non-ETC vehicle in advance, and guide information for guiding the non-ETC vehicle to an avoidance outlet passage 3 is displayed on a guide display device 7 before the vehicle advances to the ETC exclusive lane 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ETC system (non-stop automatic toll collection) that automatically performs toll collection processing on a toll road for vehicles passing through the toll collection lane in a toll collection lane of a toll road such as an expressway, for example. System).

  The ETC system is an on-board vehicle equipped with a lane control device installed on the toll collection lane side and an ETC card (IC card) for fare payment installed on the vehicle side at a toll gate such as a motorway. This is a system that automatically performs a toll collection process for a vehicle in a non-stop manner by performing wireless communication with an instrument via an antenna device installed on a toll collection lane.

  Usually, toll road tollgates have ETC-compatible ETC lanes and non-ETC-compatible non-ETC lanes as toll collection lanes, and vehicles equipped with ETC on-board devices (hereinafter referred to as ETC vehicles) are ETC. A general vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a non-ETC vehicle) that uses a dedicated lane and is not equipped with a vehicle-mounted device uses a non-ETC lane.

  However, when a non-ETC vehicle that does not have a vehicle-mounted device or a vehicle that has an abnormality in the vehicle-mounted device (hereinafter referred to as an abnormal ETC vehicle) enters the ETC-dedicated lane, the start control device The passage is blocked by this, and the traffic of the vehicle may be delayed.

Thus, a technique is known in which an ETC vehicle is smoothly guided to the ETC lane by notifying the vehicle-mounted device of guidance to the ETC lane (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-123106 A

  However, although the above-described conventionally known technology can be expected to be effective for ETC vehicles, it cannot notify a non-ETC vehicle or an abnormal ETC vehicle of guidance to an ETC dedicated lane. It is impossible to prevent an ETC vehicle or an abnormal ETC vehicle from erroneously entering without noticing in advance.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a toll collection system that can prevent a non-ETC vehicle or an abnormal ETC vehicle from erroneously entering an ETC-dedicated lane.

  The toll collection system of the present invention performs wireless communication with a toll collection on-board device mounted on a vehicle passing through the toll collection lane at a toll collection lane at an entrance toll gate of a toll road, whereby the vehicle In the toll collection system that performs the toll collection process for the toll road, it is installed at a predetermined position in the approach lane that enters the toll collection lane before the toll collection lane. An antenna device that performs wireless communication with an in-vehicle device mounted on a passing vehicle, vehicle detection means that detects that the vehicle has passed through the installation position of the antenna device, and the vehicle detection means that passes the vehicle If detected, an on-vehicle device presence / absence detecting means for detecting whether or not the on-vehicle device is mounted on the vehicle by controlling the antenna device; When the presence / absence detecting means detects that the vehicle-mounted device is not mounted on the vehicle, it proceeds to the avoidance exit passage provided at a predetermined position between the toll collection lane and the approach lane with respect to the vehicle. Guidance display means for displaying guidance information for guidance.

  Further, the toll collection system of the present invention performs wireless communication with a toll collection on-board device mounted on a vehicle passing through the toll collection lane at the toll collection lane at the entrance toll gate of the toll road, In the toll collection system that performs the toll collection process for the toll road for the vehicle, the vehicle is installed at a predetermined position in the approach lane that enters the toll collection lane before the toll collection lane. An antenna device that performs wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle that passes through a position, vehicle detection means that detects that the vehicle has passed through the installation position of the antenna device, and the vehicle detection means that When the passage is detected, the on-vehicle device abnormality presence / absence detecting means for detecting whether the on-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle is abnormal by controlling the antenna device; When the vehicle-mounted device abnormality detection means detects that the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle is abnormal, the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle is abnormal before the vehicle enters the toll collection lane. An abnormality notification transmission means for transmitting a notification to the effect.

  According to the present invention, it is detected in advance that the vehicle is a non-ETC vehicle, and the guidance information for guiding the advance to the avoidance exit passage is displayed before entering the ETC dedicated lane, so that the non-ETC vehicle is erroneously placed in the ETC dedicated lane. It is possible to provide a toll collection system that can prevent entry.

  Further, according to the present invention, an abnormal ETC vehicle is erroneously entered into an ETC dedicated lane by detecting in advance that the vehicle is an abnormal ETC vehicle and notifying the vehicle-mounted device that the vehicle is abnormal before entering the ETC dedicated lane. It is possible to provide a toll collection system that can prevent this from happening.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of an ETC system as a toll collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, for example, an entrance lane (entrance lane) 1 for entering the entrance toll gate from a general road communicates with each entrance side of a plurality (for example, 3) of ETC dedicated lanes 2 as toll collection lanes. In addition, each exit side of these ETC lanes 2 communicates with an approach lane for entering the main road of the toll road.
An avoidance exit passage 3 for guiding a non-ETC vehicle or an abnormal ETC vehicle is provided at a predetermined position between the approach lane 1 and the ETC dedicated lane 2.

  A first antenna device 4 that also serves as a vehicle detection means is installed at a predetermined position in the approach lane 1 before the avoidance exit passage 3 is a predetermined distance away. In the case of this example, if the approach lane 1 has two lanes, the first antenna device 4 is installed for each lane. The first antenna device 4 includes, for example, an antenna and a radio control device on the upper part of a U-shaped support disposed across the lane.

  For example, the first antenna device 4 always emits a radio wave for detecting whether or not the vehicle has passed to the approach lane 1, and receives a reflected radio wave from the vehicle 6 when the vehicle 6 enters the radio wave radiation area. By detecting it, the passage of the vehicle 6 is detected.

  In addition, the first antenna device 4 performs wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle 6 that has entered a predetermined communication area. Performs abnormalities detection processing.

  In the vicinity of the ETC dedicated lane 2 side of the first antenna device 4, a guidance display device 7 as guidance display means for displaying guidance information for guiding the traveling vehicle 6 to travel to the avoidance exit passage 3. The guidance display device 7 is connected to the first antenna device 4.

  An island 8 is provided on each side of the ETC dedicated lane 2. On the island 8, a vehicle type discriminating device 9 that discriminates the vehicle type of the passing vehicle 6, a roadside indicator 10 that displays a fee for the passing vehicle 6, and an image that captures an image including at least the number plate of the passing vehicle 6. A video camera 11 as means and a lane control device 12 to which these are connected are provided.

  A second antenna device 13 is disposed on the entrance side of the ETC dedicated lane 2. The second antenna device 13 includes, for example, an antenna and a radio control device on the upper side of a U-shaped support column disposed across the lane, and is connected to the lane control device 12.

  The second antenna device 13 receives predetermined information from the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle 6 by performing wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle 6 that has entered a predetermined communication area. The acquired information is sent to the lane control device 12. The lane control device 12 performs predetermined processing based on information acquired from the vehicle-mounted device.

  A third antenna device 14 is disposed on the exit side of the ETC dedicated lane 2. The third antenna device 14 includes, for example, an antenna and a radio control device on an upper portion of a U-shaped support column disposed across the lane, and is connected to the lane control device 12.

  The third antenna device 14 wirelessly communicates with the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle 6 that has entered a predetermined communication area, so that the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle 6 can receive the entrance toll gate. Information (for example, entrance toll gate number, date / time information, etc.) and vehicle type information determined by the vehicle type determination device 9 are transmitted and written into an ETC card mounted on the vehicle-mounted device. These processes are performed together with the lane control device 12.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2, an on-vehicle device 30 on which an ETC card (for example, an IC card) 20 as an information recording medium is detachably mounted is mounted on the vehicle 6. The in-vehicle device 30 stores (stores) an IC card reader / writer unit 31, an IC card processing unit 32 that processes information read by the IC card reader / writer unit 31, processing results processed by the IC card processing unit 32, and the like. ) And the information stored in the memory 33 are transmitted from the on-board antenna 34, and the radio control unit 35 for storing the information received by the on-board antenna 34 in the memory 33 is operated by the user. Operation unit such as numeric keypad, designation key, execution key, and eject button, and display operation unit 36 having a display unit for visually displaying information received by the vehicle-mounted device antenna 34, and these units are controlled in an integrated manner. The controller 37 is configured.

  The memory 33 includes, for example, the vehicle length, the vehicle height, the number of axles, the weight, the application, and the features of the vehicle on which the vehicle-mounted device 30 is mounted, the vehicle type (vehicle type), and identification information unique to each vehicle-mounted device. Vehicle information consisting of the vehicle-mounted device ID and the vehicle registration number are stored in advance.

  In the memory of the ETC card 20, for example, an account number of a bank (financial institution) of a user who performs fee settlement, special contract information, and billing information such as a contract expiration date are recorded in advance.

  At the entrance toll gate where the vehicle enters the toll road, the amount information for determining the toll fee, entrance toll gate information such as entrance toll gate number, date and time information, and the vehicle type information of the vehicle type discrimination result are mounted on the radio communication It is recorded in the memory of the ETC card 20 via the device 30. At the exit toll gate, the vehicle-mounted device 30 reads the various information from the ETC card 20 and transmits it to the lane control device of the exit toll gate by wireless communication, so that the toll is calculated and the amount is collected, and the receipt result Is replied.

  Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when the first antenna device 4 detects the passage of the vehicle 6 (step S1), the first antenna device 4 starts wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 30 mounted on the vehicle 6 (step S2). ), It is checked whether or not there is a response from the vehicle-mounted device 30 (step S3).

  If there is no response from the vehicle-mounted device 30 as a result of this check, the first antenna device 4 determines that the vehicle 6 is a non-ETC vehicle not equipped with the vehicle-mounted device 30 and guides the guidance display device 7. By sending the display command, the guidance information for guiding the progress is displayed so that the driver of the vehicle 6 proceeds to the avoidance exit passage 3 without entering the ETC exclusive lane 2 (step S4). The process for the vehicle 6 is terminated.

  If there is a response from the vehicle-mounted device 30 as a result of the check in step S3, the first antenna device 4 determines that the vehicle 6 is an ETC vehicle equipped with the vehicle-mounted device 30, and It is checked whether or not the ETC card 20 is inserted (attached) by wireless communication (step S5).

  As a result of this check, when the ETC card 20 is not inserted in the vehicle-mounted device 30, the first antenna device 4 determines that the vehicle 6 is an abnormal ETC vehicle with no ETC card inserted, and the vehicle 6 is mounted on the vehicle. A notification to the effect that the ETC card is not inserted is transmitted to the device 30, an abnormal warning that the ETC card is not inserted is displayed on the display / operation unit 36, and an abnormal warning that the ETC card is not inserted is voice-guided (step S6). .

  Next, the first antenna device 4 sends a guidance display command to the guidance display device 7 so that the driver of the vehicle 6 proceeds to the avoidance exit passage 3 without entering the ETC exclusive lane 2. Guidance information for guiding the progress is displayed (step S4), and the process for the vehicle 6 is terminated.

  If the ETC card 20 is inserted in the vehicle-mounted device 30 as a result of the check in step S5, the first antenna device 4 determines whether the recorded content of the ETC card 20 is correct through wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 30. Is checked (step S7).

  As a result of the check, if the recorded content of the ETC card 20 is not correct, the first antenna device 4 determines that the vehicle 6 is an abnormal ETC vehicle having an abnormal ETC card, and the vehicle-mounted device 30 of the vehicle 6 A notification that the ETC card is abnormal is transmitted, an ETC card abnormality warning is displayed on the display operation unit 36, and an ETC card abnormality warning is voice-guided (step S6).

  Next, the first antenna device 4 sends a guidance display command to the guidance display device 7 so that the driver of the vehicle 6 proceeds to the avoidance exit passage 3 without entering the ETC exclusive lane 2. Guidance information for guiding the progress is displayed (step S4), and the process for the vehicle 6 is terminated.

  As a result of the check in step S7, if the recorded content of the ETC card 20 is correct, the first antenna device 4 checks whether or not all the processes are finished (step S8), and if not finished, the process goes to step S1. The process similar to the above is repeated and the process for the vehicle 6 is terminated if the process is completed.

  It should be noted that when neither the non-ETC vehicle nor the abnormal ETC vehicle is forced to enter the ETC lane 2 without following the guidance warning on the guidance display device 7 or the vehicle-mounted device 30, no start control device is installed in the present invention. Therefore, the passage is allowed as it is. In this case, for example, an image including at least the number plate of the vehicle 6 is captured by the camera 11, and the toll is charged from the vehicle number of the number plate of the captured vehicle 6.

  As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the antenna device installed at a predetermined position of the approach lane entering the ETC dedicated lane is detected in advance to be a non-ETC vehicle, and the ETC is detected with respect to the non-ETC vehicle. By displaying the guidance information for guiding the progress to the avoidance exit passage on the guidance display device before entering the dedicated lane, it is possible to prevent the non-ETC vehicle from erroneously entering the ETC dedicated lane.

  In addition, an abnormal ETC vehicle is detected in advance by an antenna device installed at a predetermined position of an approach lane entering the ETC exclusive lane, and the abnormal ETC vehicle is inspected with respect to the vehicle-mounted device before entering the ETC exclusive lane. It is possible to prevent an abnormal ETC vehicle from erroneously entering the ETC-dedicated lane by notifying that there is an abnormality and displaying guidance information that guides the progress to the avoidance exit passage on the guidance display device. .

  In addition, if the vehicle is forced to enter the ETC lane 2 without following the guidance warning, the start control device is not installed in the present invention, the vehicle is allowed to pass as it is, and the toll fee is calculated from the vehicle number plate captured by the camera. Since the billing is performed, the stoppage of the vehicle on the ETC exclusive lane can be reduced.

  In addition, for abnormal ETC vehicles, both the vehicle-mounted device and the guidance display device notify that there is an abnormality, so it is possible to select whether to proceed to the avoidance exit passage or continue to the ETC dedicated lane. It becomes.

In addition, it can be expected to reduce the vehicle stoppage on the ETC-dedicated lane, and an effect of recognizing the occurrence of abnormality in the ETC vehicle.
Furthermore, a warning from the vehicle-mounted device can cause the driver to recognize that it cannot be processed in advance by ETC, and it can be expected to prevent a rear-end vehicle from colliding due to a vehicle stop on the ETC-dedicated lane.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the first antenna device detects the passage of the vehicle has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a vehicle detection device such as a tread board, an infrared ray or a laser An optical vehicle detection device using light may be used.

The schematic diagram which shows schematically the structure of the ETC system as a fee collection system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows roughly the structure of the onboard equipment mounted in a vehicle. The flowchart explaining operation | movement of an ETC system.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Entrance lane, 2 ... ETC exclusive lane (toll collection line), 3 ... Avoidance exit passage, 4 ... 1st antenna apparatus (vehicle detection means), 6 ... Vehicle, 7 ... Guidance display apparatus (guidance display means), DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Video camera (imaging means), 12 ... Lane control device, 13 ... 2nd antenna device, 14 ... 3rd antenna device, 20 ... ETC card (IC card, information recording medium), 30 ... Onboard equipment, 31 ... IC card reader / writer unit, 32 ... IC card processing unit, 33 ... Memory, 34 ... Onboard antenna, 35 ... Radio control unit.

Claims (6)

Usage fee for the toll road for the toll road by performing wireless communication with the toll collection vehicle mounted on the toll collection lane at the toll collection lane at the entrance toll gate of the toll road In the toll collection system that performs the receipt processing of
An antenna that is installed at a predetermined position in an approach lane that enters the toll collection lane and is on a vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle that passes through the position before the toll collection lane. Equipment,
Vehicle detection means for detecting that the vehicle has passed through the installation position of the antenna device;
When this vehicle detection means detects the passage of the vehicle, the on-board device presence detection means for detecting whether or not the on-vehicle device is mounted on the vehicle by controlling the antenna device;
When this vehicle-mounted device presence / absence detecting means detects that the vehicle-mounted device is not mounted on the vehicle, an avoidance exit passage provided at a predetermined position between the toll collection lane and the approach lane with respect to the vehicle Guidance display means for displaying guidance information for guiding the progress to
A toll collection system characterized by comprising: Usage fee for the toll road for the toll road by performing wireless communication with the toll collection vehicle mounted on the toll collection lane at the toll collection lane at the entrance toll gate of the toll road In the toll collection system that performs the receipt processing of
An antenna that is installed at a predetermined position in an approach lane that enters the toll collection lane and is on a vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle that passes through the position before the toll collection lane. Equipment,
Vehicle detection means for detecting that the vehicle has passed through the installation position of the antenna device;
When this vehicle detection means detects the passage of the vehicle, the vehicle equipment abnormality presence / absence detection means for detecting whether or not the vehicle equipment mounted on the vehicle is abnormal by controlling the antenna device;
When this on-vehicle device abnormality presence / absence detecting means detects that the on-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle is abnormal, it is abnormal for the on-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle before the vehicle enters the toll collection lane. An abnormality notification transmission means for transmitting a notification to the effect;
A toll collection system characterized by comprising: The vehicle-mounted device is equipped with an information recording medium on which information for paying a fee is recorded,
The on-vehicle device abnormality presence / absence detection means determines whether or not the information recording medium is mounted on an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, or if the information recording medium is mounted, the recorded content of the information recording medium is 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein it is checked whether the information recording medium is correct, and when the information recording medium is not mounted or the recorded content of the information recording medium is not correct, it is determined that the vehicle-mounted device is abnormal. Toll collection system.   When the vehicle-mounted device abnormality presence / absence detecting means detects that the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle is abnormal, it is for avoidance provided at a predetermined position between the toll collection lane and the approach lane with respect to the vehicle. 3. A toll collection system according to claim 2, further comprising guide display means for displaying guide information for guiding the progress to the exit passage.   When the vehicle enters the toll collection lane despite the vehicle-mounted device abnormality notification by the abnormality notification transmission unit, the vehicle further includes a unit that allows the vehicle to pass as it is and captures an image including at least the number plate of the vehicle. The fee collection system according to claim 2, wherein:   When the vehicle enters the toll collection lane despite the display of the guidance information by the guidance display unit, the vehicle is further allowed to pass through and further includes means for capturing an image including at least the number plate of the vehicle. The fee collection system according to claim 2, wherein:

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