Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
  • G07B15/00—Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points
  • G07B15/06—Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems
  • G07B15/063—Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station

Definitions

• Toll system for the central collection of vehicle usage fees in a toll route network
• the invention relates to a toll system for the central collection of usage fees.
• This toll system is intended to be particularly suitable for the usage fee billing of commercial vehicles and therefore does not make any particularly high demands on the anonymity of billing the usage fees from a data protection point of view
• a system for billing the usage fees for a toll route network which provides electronic toll devices installed in the vehicles traveling on the route network.
• These toll devices have an arrangement for the exact determination of the current geographical position by means of signals transmitted via a navigation satellite system (e.g. GPS) and via a digital map that is accessible in a memory for the toll route network.
• a navigation satellite system e.g. GPS
• a digital map that is accessible in a memory for the toll route network.
• each toll device also has a memory with tariff data so that it can calculate the due toll amounts independently
• a prepaid credit card e.g. chip card
• a similar usage fee billing system is known from EP 0 741 891 B1, which differs from the system described above in that the toll amounts determined are not debited from a value card in the toll device, Rather, they are reported via digital mobile radio to a control center, which transfers the charges to the user of the route network.
• the object of the present invention is to propose a toll system which is particularly suitable for the collection of user fees caused by
• the toll system according to the invention is defined by that in claim 1
• the invention provides a toll system for the central collection of user fees of vehicles in a toll route network, the one
• Mobile radio network and vehicle-side devices for communication via mobile radio (e.g. mobile phone for a GSM network) and for determining the geographic position of the respective vehicle (e.g. GPS receiver).
• mobile radio network-side position determination devices can also be provided, which determine data for determining the vehicle position.
• a computer center is also provided to collect user fees.
• the mobile radio network is used for communication between the computer center and the vehicle-side communication devices.
• the computer center is in turn also with facilities for communication with the vehicle side
• the computer center also has a digital road map for the area of the toll route network and the tariff dates for the use of the toll route network. According to the invention, it is provided that the computer center from the vehicle-side devices via the mobile radio network
• the position data is already determined in the vehicle and only the result is transmitted to the computer center. If the data for position determination However, not determined in the vehicle but on the network side, these can be transmitted in a corresponding manner to the computer center for evaluation (ie position determination) if the position has not already been determined by the network-side position determination device and communicated to the computer center.
• Corresponding location methods based on the signal propagation times between the terminals and the base stations of a mobile radio network are known. It goes without saying that this data transmission takes place repeatedly while a vehicle is traveling. In the computer center, the respectively determined position of the vehicle in question is clearly assigned to a section of the route (e.g. section between two motorway entrances / exits) of the toll route network or a toll-free route and a usage fee is calculated based on the actual use of toll routes by the respective vehicle the amount due and calculated.
• a section of the route e.g. section between two motorway entrance
• the toll system according to the invention only requires particularly simple vehicle-side toll devices, since these do not have to be provided with a database from which the tariff structure of the route network results. It is sufficient to have this information available in the computer center. In addition, it is not even necessary for the vehicle toll device to have a digital road map for the area of the toll route network. It is also sufficient here if the computer center receives route information from the respective vehicle or from the mobile radio network about the respective vehicle that can be clearly assigned to the route covered.
• Position determination taking into account correction information (e.g. DGPS data).
• correction information e.g. DGPS data
• the computer center is expediently informed by self-declaration from the vehicle via the mobile communication network that the respective Vehicle enters from a toll-free route section into a fee-based route section.
• This self-declaration can be made, for example, by a message that is triggered by pressing a button or advantageously by voice input by the driver of the vehicle.
• the vehicle-side facilities also have geographic data, on the basis of which the vehicle-side facilities can automatically identify the entry of a chargeable part of the route network, the self-declaration can also take place automatically.
• the computer center could also recognize on its own by continuously monitoring the current vehicle positions when the vehicle is traveling a toll route.
• the current position of the respective vehicle is automatically transmitted from the vehicle to the computer center at certain intervals.
• the current position is queried by the computer center at an appropriate time.
• this information is passed on to the computer center in a corresponding manner. If necessary, a vehicle position determined on the network side can of course also be communicated to the vehicle by the computer center.
• the functions of the vehicle-side devices can be configured from the computer center via the mobile radio network and can be equipped with geographical and / or tariff information about the route network.
• partial autonomous operation of the toll devices can also be effected if required.
• the hardware equipment of the toll devices must be enriched accordingly.
• Such a configuration like the transmission of other information to the respective toll device, can expediently be carried out as a download using standardized mobile data protocols such as, for example, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).
• WAP Wireless Application Protocol
• the toll system according to the invention can be very easily adapted to dynamic, that is to say variable refueling and / or determination of the toll routes in the area, which means that the amount the
• Usage fees can be designed to be variable according to the respective load on individual sections of the route depending on the time of day or also depending on certain calendar days.This also includes the case that usage fees are temporarily charged for certain routes and temporarily no fees become applicable.Accordingly, information about this can be provided output to the users of the route network without further ado with the appropriate equipment
• the computer center can be set up to carry out the usage fee billing according to the pre- or post-paid accounting.
• the respective user receives an invoice for the toll amount incurred after using the routes.
• pre-paid -Accounting the user pays a credit amount in advance to the head office, from which the amount is continuously debited during use in accordance with the determined toll amounts
• the device technology present in the vehicle can be used not only for the operator of the toll system but also for the benefit of the user
• the invention provides that, in order to minimize the communication costs from the computer center, the position data of geographic locations important for the usage fee collection (so-called virtual toll stations) can be transmitted to the vehicle-side mobile radio device, so that a partially autonomous mode of operation of the vehicle-side devices already mentioned above can be transmitted can be used to determine toll route use, the vehicle-side devices internally registering the passage of corresponding virtual toll booths and transmitting the corresponding information independently or on demand to the computer center to detect the passage of virtual toll booths
• Position data can of course also be obtained directly or indirectly (ie via the computer center) from the mobile radio network
• the virtual toll booths are geographic positions that are specified by the computer center to the toll device in the respective vehicle and that lead to a billing process for a distance traveled by the vehicle for a fee as soon as the vehicle passes this position.
• the position of a virtual toll booth can also be outside of the actual toll routes, so that a passage through this position by the respective vehicle indicates that the toll route network has been left and the toll device ends the current charging
• the positions of the virtual toll booths can advantageously be determined by the computer center, for example, taking statistical experience values into account
• Treasury procedures are specified in such a way that a charge is collected, for example, for several sections of the route that are subject to a fee, in a single operation. If the vehicle leaves the route that is subject to tolls beforehand, the toll device sends the relevant information to the computer center Possible geographic locations of the vehicle ('destination coordinates') which the vehicle can pass in the further course of the journey.These can be exits from the motorway or certain sections of the route.It would be advantageous to select these 'destination coordinates' so that the vehicle has at least one of these locations within a predetermined time interval (e.g. 20 minutes) must pass, if it continues at undiminished speed This procedure allows the communication costs for the toll system to be kept particularly low
• the computer center is particularly suitable in a GSM mobile radio network using GPRS technology (Global Packet Radio Service).
• This communication can also advantageously be carried out using UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System). It is particularly advantageous with regard to the communication costs if this communication is based on the SMS service (Short Message Service) uses the operating data channel of a GSM
• This channel is always in operation if a corresponding terminal for the GSM network is switched on
• the usage fees determined by the computer center may be prepaid by one carried in the respective vehicle
• the calculated usage fees are expediently transmitted from the computer center to the respective vehicle via WAP or another standardized data protocol and paid there by a corresponding debit. It can also be provided that the vehicle-side facilities when recognizing the passage of one of the
• Logging of the communication that is carried out with the computer center is set up.
• the vehicle-based toll device is then able to keep a logbook of the communication, so that it is later possible for the user to check the authorization of the usage fee amounts charged to him
• the usage fees to be charged can also be debited in such a way that the individual amounts are debited with a value credit from a memory card carried in the toll device as soon as this value credit has fallen below a predetermined threshold value (e.g. zero)
• a corresponding message is sent from the mobile radio device to the computer center in order to replenish the credit balance by mobile radio.
• the amount topped up can in turn be debited from a pre- or post-paid account of the respective user in the computer center, so that the principle of a central charge is collected is also preserved here
• a toll system in which the toll devices on the vehicle comprise a terminal of a GSM mobile radio network and a GPS receiver
• the central computer can communicate with the individual toll devices via the GSM mobile radio network.
• the system provides that the self-declaration by the central computer means that the toll devices indicate that the vehicle has entered a chargeable route, for example into a motorway section.
• the driver of the vehicle presses a corresponding signal button , which transmits a corresponding message to the computer center, in which the current position of the vehicle, which was determined by means of a GPS receiver when the signal button was pressed, is in principle, it would also be possible, instead of a geographical position, to transmit the position determination signals received by the navigation satellite system As a result, however, the data volume to be transmitted was unnecessarily increased.
• the computer center After receiving the self-declaration, the computer center transmits position data of virtual toll stations, which are in the vicinity, to the toll device
• the entrance to the toll route network is located as soon as the vehicle passes one of the specified virtual toll stations, the toll device automatically reports to the computer center with corresponding information.
• the computer center is informed about the direction in which the vehicle in question is traveling in the toll route network moves and can make a cost charge for the first part of the route covered and transmit the next virtual toll station to the vehicle
• the computer center can check the correctness of the notification about leaving the toll route network by directing a new position query to the toll device.
• the computer center itself can also determine whether the toll route network has left the tolling network if the next virtual toll station specified by it is still not reported as having passed by the toll device after a predetermined period of time. In this case, the computer center would send another position request to the toll device.
• the present invention provides a toll system that can be operated with extremely simple vehicle-side toll devices.
• it offers expansion options that enable all possible payment options (pre-paid or post-paid accounting), so that the needs of different user groups with different in particular

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Finance (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=7917389

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (43)

Family Cites Families (12)

• 2000
  • 2000-07-25 ES ES00954381T patent/ES2239612T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-07-25 AU AU66857/00A patent/AU6685700A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-07-25 WO PCT/DE2000/002487 patent/WO2001011571A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2000-07-25 EP EP00954381A patent/EP1200937B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-07-25 AT AT00954381T patent/ATE297041T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-07-25 DE DE50010469T patent/DE50010469D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events