JPH0816977A - Automatic toll collection device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To collect accurate charges with a simple structure. [Configuration] Vehicle type information of a vehicle is stored in advance in a RAM of the ECU 70. When the ignition is turned on, the vehicle-mounted device 30 takes in the vehicle type information stored in the RAM of the ECU 70 and stores it in the storage circuit 48. At the exit gate, the vehicle-mounted device 30 sends the gate information such as the entrance gate and the passage route gate and the vehicle type information stored in the storage circuit 48 to the roadside device installed on the road of the exit gate including the vehicle type information. Send. The roadside device refers to the charge table based on the gate information and the vehicle type information, calculates the charge, and transmits the calculated charge information to the vehicle-mounted device 30. Then, the vehicle-mounted device 30 subtracts the charge from the charge balance information stored in the IC card 62, and stores the subtracted balance information.

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 device, and more particularly, to automatically collect tolls through communication between a roadside device installed on the road and an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle. An automatic toll collection device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a road machine installed on the road,
Many automatic toll collection devices have been proposed that automatically perform toll collection processing by communicating with an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle.
Here, since the toll on the expressway differs depending on the vehicle type (two-wheeled vehicle, ordinary vehicle, large-sized vehicle, etc.), the automatic toll collection device must collect the correct fee according to the vehicle type. Therefore, an automatic fee collection device has been proposed in which vehicle type information is transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device side, a roadside device calculates a vehicle fee based on the transmitted vehicle type information, and the calculated fee is collected.

However, if the vehicle type information is stored on the in-vehicle device side as described above, for example, if the in-vehicle device having the vehicle type information of the large vehicle is mistakenly attached to the small vehicle, the charge for the large vehicle is calculated for the small vehicle, or the small vehicle is charged. If an in-vehicle device having the vehicle type information is illegally attached to a large vehicle, the fee for the small vehicle is calculated for the large vehicle, and the accurate fee cannot be received.

In order to prevent such errors and fraud, I
An automatic vehicle identification device has been proposed that includes a D-plate reading unit, a license plate reading unit, a comparison / collation unit, a communication control unit, a fare calculation processing unit, and an illegal traffic handling unit (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 2).
159700). The ID plate reading unit receives the ID number including the license plate information (vehicle number) from the ID plate mounted on the vehicle, and receives the received ID.
The license plate information is identified from the number and is output to the comparison and collation unit. The license plate reading unit processes the photographed image of the license plate to identify the license plate information (vehicle number), and outputs this to the comparison and collation unit. The comparing and collating unit compares and determines both the input license plate information and outputs the determination result (match information or mismatch information) to the communication control unit. Then, the communication control unit that has input the matching information outputs the information to the charge calculation processing unit, and the charge calculation processing unit executes the charge calculation processing. On the other hand, the communication control unit that has input the disagreement information is output to the unauthorized traffic handling unit, and the unauthorized traffic handling unit performs processing such as closing the gate.

[0005]

However, in the device installed on the road in the conventional automatic vehicle identification device,
The license plate is photographed, the photographed license plate image is processed, or the license plate information identified from the received ID number is compared with the license plate information identified by processing the photographed image. It is necessary to perform complicated processing such as determining whether or not it is done.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic toll collection device capable of collecting accurate toll with a simple structure.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 communicates information including vehicle type information between a roadside device installed on the road and an on-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle. In the automatic toll collection device for automatically performing the toll collection process by means of the above, a storage means for storing vehicle type information of the vehicle is fixedly installed in the vehicle, and the vehicle type information stored in the storage means is taken into the in-vehicle device. A vehicle type information acquisition means is provided.

[0008]

According to the automatic toll collection device of the first aspect of the present invention, information including vehicle type information is communicated between the roadside device installed on the road and the onboard device mounted on the vehicle.

Here, a storage means for storing vehicle type information of the vehicle is fixedly installed in the vehicle. The vehicle type information fetching means provided in the vehicle-mounted device fetches the vehicle type information stored in the storage means. The vehicle-mounted device transmits the captured vehicle type information to the roadside device. Then, the roadside device automatically collects the charge according to the transmitted vehicle type information.

As described above, since the vehicle type information of the vehicle stored in the storage means fixedly installed in the vehicle is fetched and transmitted to the roadside machine, the in-vehicle machine is attached to different kinds of vehicles. , The vehicle type information of the newly installed vehicle will be transmitted to the roadside machine, and the roadside machine will always
The fee collection process can be performed automatically based on the correct vehicle type information, complicated processing such as image processing, comparison of predetermined information, judgment, etc. can be eliminated, and accurate fee collection with a simple configuration It can be done automatically.

Here, the storage means for storing the vehicle type information of the vehicle may be fixedly installed in the control means for controlling the vehicle. Thus, if the storage means is fixedly installed in the control means for controlling the vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device will take in the vehicle type information from the fixedly installed storage means and transmit it. Therefore, since the control means cannot be removed from the vehicle, it is not possible to rewrite the vehicle type information stored in the storage means, and the roadside device always automatically collects the charge based on the correct vehicle type information. It can be carried out.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The automatic toll collection device of this embodiment performs radio wave communication between an on-vehicle device (details will be described later) mounted on a vehicle and a roadside device installed on the ground side such as an entrance gate or an exit gate of a toll road. As a result, the toll fee is automatically collected without stopping the vehicle at the entrance gate or the exit gate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle-mounted device 30 mounted on the vehicle 90 is equipped with an IC card read / write device 60 to which an IC card 62 storing charge balance information and the like can be attached and detached, as described later. (See Figure 5). This in-vehicle device 3
Reference numeral 0 denotes a storage circuit that stores fixed data such as vehicle type information such as a vehicle number, and also refers to charge balance information and an ID code of the IC card 62 mounted by the IC card read / write device 60, and the IC card. 62
Write the remaining charge information to.

On the other hand, as the ground-side equipment, as will be described later, an in-vehicle device 30 is provided at each of an entrance gate 100 of a toll road, an intermediate route 200 immediately before or after a branch point, a service area, and an exit gate 300. A road machine is installed to exchange various information.

At the entrance gate 100, a roadside machine including an entrance antenna 117 made of a flat antenna and an entrance antenna control device 132 connected to the entrance antenna 117 is installed. This entrance antenna control device 132
Thus, via the entrance antenna 117, the entrance gate information of the toll road can be transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 30 mounted in the vehicle and the signal from the vehicle-mounted device 30 can be received. Note that the entrance gate 100 is provided with a toll ticket issuing device 123 that issues a toll ticket similar to the conventional one for a vehicle that pays the toll by hand payment because automatic toll collection cannot be performed. Further, the entrance antenna control device 132 is connected to the central computer 400 in order to comprehensively manage vehicles entering the toll road.

On the way route 200, a route grasping antenna 217 composed of a flat antenna and a route grasping antenna 2
An on-road device including a route grasping antenna control device 232 connected to 17 is installed. This route grasping antenna control device 232, via the route grasping antenna 217, information indicating which route is selected from the branch point and the route is traveled, and route passage information indicating which route the toll road is traveling on ( The route grasping antenna control device installation position information and the like) are transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 30. Further, the route grasping antenna control device 232 is connected to the central computer 400 in order to comprehensively manage the traveling state of the vehicle on the toll road.

At the exit gate 300, in order to improve the certainty of information transmission / reception by radio waves, a notice antenna 317 composed of a flat antenna and a tollgate antenna 341 are provided.
Various types of antennas are provided. This notice antenna 3
A notice antenna control device 331 is connected to 17, and a tollgate antenna control device 332 is connected to the tollgate antenna 341. These notice antenna control device 331
The tollgate antenna controller 332 is connected to a local controller 380 connected to the central computer 400. Although the notice antenna 317, the tollgate antenna 341, the notice antenna control device 331, and the tollgate antenna control device 332 act as the road device of the present invention, the notice antenna 317 and the notice antenna control device 331 can be omitted. .

At the exit gate 300, a camera 35 for photographing illegally passing vehicles such as vehicles passing without paying the toll.
Unauthorized traffic image capturing system 350 connected to No. 2 and toll payment system 323 for vehicles that cannot collect automatic tolls
Is installed. By collectively controlling each of these systems with the local controller 380, measures are taken for the inability to collect tolls, and tolls are automatically received according to the traffic section (route) in which the vehicle has traveled and the vehicle type. There is. In addition, by connecting the central computer 400 and the local controller 380, the information on the revision of the fare table and the information on the illegal traffic are exchanged smoothly and quickly.

Next, an example of the schematic configuration of each of the entrance gate, the intermediate path, and the exit gate will be further described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the entrance gate 100 of the toll road of this embodiment has three lanes 102, 104, and 1.
Has 06. Lane 102 is formed between site 108 and divider 110, and lane 104 is divider 110.
And the separation zone 112, the lane 106 is formed between the separation zone 112 and the site 114. From site 108 to site 11 across these multiple lanes
The arch 116 is arranged over 4 and the arch 11
Entrance antennas 118, 120, and 122 are attached to the upper part of 6 so as to be located directly above each lane. The entrance antenna 118 transmits / receives information to / from a vehicle traveling in the lane 102, the entrance antenna 120 transmits / receives information to / from a vehicle traveling in the lane 104, and the entrance antenna 122 transmits / receives information to / from the lane 106. Information is exchanged with the traveling vehicle.

On the site 114, the entrance antenna control device 1
An entrance gate control center 130 having 32 is provided, and entrance antennas 118, 120, 122 are connected to the entrance antenna control device 132.

In FIG. 2, the entrance antenna 117 of FIG.
Although the entrance antennas 118, 120, and 122 are used as the above, one or two entrance antennas may be used in one or two lanes, or more entrance antennas may be used.

At the entrance gate 100, there are installed ticket issuing devices 124, 126, 128 for issuing the tolls for paying the tolls corresponding to the respective lanes. The pass issuing device 124 is located in the lane 102.
The ticket issuing device 126 is installed so as to correspond to the lane 104, and the ticket issuing device 128 is installed so as to correspond to the lane 106. These ticket issuing devices 12
4, 126 and 128 are connected to the entrance gate control center 130.

Signals 134, 136, 138 for instructing whether or not to enter each lane are provided on the downstream side of the arch 116 in the vehicle traveling direction so as to correspond to each lane. These traffic signals 134, 136, 138
Is connected to the entrance gate control center 130 and displays either a display when the vehicle can enter each lane (for example, a green light) or a display when the vehicle cannot enter the lane (for example, a red light). .

The entrance antenna controller 132 of the entrance gate control center 130 is connected to the central computer 400 (see FIG. 1).
See). In addition, without connecting the entrance antenna control device 132 to the central computer 400,
An independent control system using only the entrance gate may be used.

As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate route 200 immediately before the branch point of the toll road has two lanes 202, 20.
4 are formed adjacent to each other between the site 208 and the site 214. An arch 216 is arranged from the site 208 to the site 214 so as to straddle these lanes 202 and 204, and the route grasping antenna 21 is provided on the arch 216.
8, 220, 222 are attached. The route grasping antenna 218 is located above the lane 202 and is located in the lane 20.
2 transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle traveling on the route 2, and the route grasping antenna 222 transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle located on the lane 204 and traveling on the lane 204. Above the center line 206 between the route grasping antennas 218 and 222 and indicating the boundary between the lanes 202 and 204, there is a route grasping antenna 220 that transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle across the lanes 202 and 204. It is arranged.

A route control center 230 having a route grasping antenna control device 232 is arranged on the site 214, and route grasping antennas 218, 220, 222 are connected to the route grasping antenna control device 232. .

As shown in FIG. 4, the exit gate 300 of the toll road is provided with three lanes 302, 304 and 306. Lane 302 is site 308 and divider 31
0, lane 304 is formed between separators 310 and 312, and lane 306 is separated.
And the site 314.

An arch 316 is provided from the site 308 to the site 314 so as to straddle these plural lanes, and the notice antennas 318, 3 are provided on the arch 316.
20, 322 are attached. Notice antenna 318
Transmits / receives information to / from vehicles traveling on the lane 302 located above the lane 302.
Transmits and receives information to and from vehicles traveling on the lane 304 located above the lane 304. Similarly, the warning antenna 322 is located above the lane 306 and located on the lane 306.
Information is sent to and received from vehicles traveling on the road.

At the site 314, the exit gate control center 3
30 is provided, and this exit gate control center 33
At 0, a notice antenna control device 331 and a tollgate antenna control device 332 described later are arranged. The notice antenna control device 331 includes notice antennas 318 and 320,
322 is connected.

On the downstream side in the vehicle traveling direction of the position where the arch 316 is arranged, so as to straddle the above-mentioned plurality of lanes,
An arch 340 is arranged from the site 308 to the site 314, and the tollgate antenna 34 is provided on the arch 340.
2, 344 and 346 are attached. The tollgate antenna 342 is located above the lane 302 and is located in the lane 30.
The tollgate antenna 344 exchanges information relating to the charge with respect to the vehicle traveling in 2, and the tollgate antenna 344 transmits and receives information with respect to the vehicle traveling in the lane 304 above the lane 304. , Lane 30
Information is transmitted and received to and from vehicles traveling above the lane lane 306. These tollgate antennas 342, 3
Tollgate antenna control device 332 is connected to 44 and 346.

At the exit gate 300, toll-paying boxes 324, 326, 328 are provided corresponding to each lane for vehicles paid by hand that cannot automatically charge tolls.
Is installed. The fee payment box 324 is arranged corresponding to the lane 302, and the fee payment box 326 is provided.
Is arranged corresponding to the lane 304, and the fee payment box 328 is arranged corresponding to the lane 306. A microcomputer (not shown) is provided in each of these fee payment boxes 324, 326, 328, and the information is collected by manual payment by controlling each microcomputer (not shown). The system 323 is configured. The fee payment system 323 is connected to the local controller 380 (see FIG. 1).

Further, an unauthorized vehicle photographing system 350 for photographing an illegally passing vehicle is arranged on the downstream side of the toll payment box in the traveling direction of the vehicle (see FIG. 1). Camera 352, which is
354 and 356 are arranged corresponding to the lanes 302, 304 and 306. This unauthorized vehicle photography system 35
0 is connected to the local controller 380.

Signals 334, 336, 338 for instructing whether or not to enter each lane are provided on the downstream side of the arch 340 in the vehicle traveling direction so as to correspond to each lane. These traffic lights 334, 336, 338
Is connected to the exit gate control center 330,
Either a display indicating that the vehicle can enter each lane (for example, a green light) or an indication that the vehicle cannot enter (for example, a red traffic light) is displayed.

The exit gate control center 330 is connected to the central computer 400 (see FIG. 1). The exit gate control center 330 may not be connected to the central computer 400, but may be an independent control system using only the exit gate.

Next, the structure of the vehicle-mounted device 30 loaded in the vehicle will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle-mounted device 30 includes a reception antenna 32 that receives a signal transmitted from a road device described later.
It has. The receiving antenna 32 is the receiving antenna 32.
It is connected to a detection circuit 34 that detects the modulated wave received in step S3 and obtains a data signal. The detection circuit 34 is connected via a data signal reception circuit 44 to a signal processing circuit 46 including a microcomputer.

The signal processing circuit 46 includes a storage circuit 48 for storing fixed data such as an ID code and vehicle type information, and an ID.
A transmission circuit 50 for transmitting a data signal including a code as a response signal is connected to the transmission circuit 50. The transmission circuit 50 transmits an inquiry signal, which is an unmodulated carrier wave, received by the transmission / reception antenna 52 to the data signal from the signal processing circuit 46. Then, the signal is modulated by and transmitted back via the transmitting / receiving antenna 52.

The vehicle-mounted device mounted in the vehicle is always supplied with power from the vehicle-mounted battery. The storage circuit 48 is volatile and loses stored information when the power supply from the vehicle-mounted battery is cut off.

An IC card read / write device 60 to which an IC card 62 can be attached / detached is connected to the signal processing circuit 46.

The in-vehicle device 30 described above receives the reception antenna 32 for receiving the signal transmitted from the road device, the inquiry signal transmitted from the road device, and the signal obtained by modulating the received inquiry signal with the data signal. Although the transmitting / receiving antenna 52 for transmitting is configured separately, the transmitting / receiving antenna 52 is not limited to this, and may be configured as one transmitting / receiving antenna.

Further, the signal processing circuit 46 includes a display 64 composed of an LCD and an ECU (Electronic for controlling the vehicle).
Control Unit) 70 is connected. ECU70
Is configured to include a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown), and the RAM stores vehicle type information. E
An igniter 72 and a fuel injection valve 74 are connected to the CU 70. The ECU 70 controls the igniter 72 to control the ignition timing and the fuel injection valve 74 to control the fuel inflow amount. Further, a sensor group 76 is connected to the ECU 70, and takes in the temperature inside the engine, the rotation speed of the cylinder, the vehicle speed, and the like.

Next, a roadside device that communicates with the vehicle-mounted device 30 will be described by taking a roadside device provided at the exit gate 300 as an example. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, the lane 302
An exit antenna 318 and an exit antenna control device 331 that are in charge of transmission and reception of radio waves to and from a vehicle traveling on the road will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, the device on the ground side with respect to the vehicle traveling in the lane 302 is composed of an exit antenna 318 and an exit antenna control device 331. The exit antenna 318 includes a transmitting antenna 22 and a transmitting / receiving antenna 26. The transmitting antenna 22
Although the transmission / reception antenna 26 and the transmission / reception antenna 26 are separately configured, the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured as one transmission / reception antenna. Exit antenna control device 331
Has a signal processing circuit 12 including a microcomputer. The signal processing circuit 12 can be connected to the central computer 400. The signal processing circuit 12 is connected to a transmission circuit 14 that transmits a data signal (communication request signal) including a command. Transmission circuit 14
Is connected to the transmitting antenna 22 via the mixer 18. A carrier generation circuit 20 for generating a carrier of a predetermined frequency is connected to the mixer 18, and the mixer 18 receives the signal input from the transmission circuit 14 and the carrier generation circuit 20.
The carrier wave input from the carrier wave generating circuit 20 is mixed with the carrier wave input from the carrier wave generating circuit 20 and the signal input from the transmitting circuit 14 modulates the carrier wave input from the carrier wave generating circuit 20. Further, the modulated wave is transmitted as a radio wave from the transmitting antenna 22.

In the carrier wave generation circuit 20, a transmission / reception circuit 2 for extracting a data signal from the modulated wave that is modulated and returned from the vehicle-mounted device 30 shown in FIG. 5 and received by the transmission / reception antenna 26.
4 are connected. The transmission / reception circuit 24 is connected to the signal processing circuit 12.

The structure of the other entrance antennas at the exit gate 300 is the same as that described above, and a description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the entrance gate 100 and the intermediate route 20
The configuration of each antenna and the antenna control device in No. 0 is substantially the same as the above, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

Next, the processing routine of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. When the vehicle-mounted device 30 is attached to the vehicle and power is supplied from the vehicle-mounted battery, when the ignition is turned on,
When a signal is received from the entrance gate antenna 117 at the entrance gate 100, it is determined whether it is the timing for requesting vehicle type information such as when the switch of the vehicle-mounted device 30 is turned on (step 40).
2, see FIG. 7), and at the timing, step 4
In 03, it is determined whether or not there is vehicle type information in the storage circuit 48. If there is vehicle type information, the in-vehicle device 30 has not been removed from the vehicle, so the process ends. If there is no vehicle type information, for example, the vehicle type information for the driver is stored in the storage circuit 48. In order to illegally use the vehicle-mounted device 30 for a standard vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device 30 may be removed from the standard vehicle in an attempt to mount the standard vehicle in a large vehicle. Is output. It waits until a signal is received from the ECU 70 (step 406), and in step 408, the input signal is checked for errors. If the input signal is normal, the input signal (vehicle type information) is stored in the storage circuit 48. On the other hand, if the input signal is abnormal, step 41
In step 2, processing for stopping the function of the vehicle-mounted device 30 is performed. That is, even if a signal is received from a roadside device, processing according to the received signal is not performed. And step 414
Then, the display device 64 is caused to emit light to notify that the function of the vehicle-mounted device 30 is stopped.

FIG. 8 shows a processing routine of the ECU 70. When a signal for requesting transmission of vehicle type information is input from the vehicle-mounted device 30 (step 422), R is selected in step 424.
The vehicle type information is fetched from the AM, and the vehicle type information is transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 30 in step 426.

As described above, the storage circuit for storing the vehicle type information fetched from the ECU loses the stored information when the power is cut off.
If the vehicle-mounted device is detached from the vehicle in an attempt to attach it to another vehicle, the power to the storage circuit is cut off, and the stored information is lost. Therefore, even if the vehicle-mounted device is newly attached to another vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device will take in the vehicle type information stored in the newly-mounted vehicle.

Next, the fee collection process of this embodiment will be described. The roadside device installed at the exit gate transmits an inquiry signal composed of a continuous wave in step 462 until it receives a response signal from the vehicle-mounted device 30 as shown in FIG. When the response signal is received, in step 466, the gate information such as the entrance gate and the passage gate and the vehicle type information are read from the response signal, and in step 468, the charge table is referenced based on the read gate information and the vehicle type information. , Calculate the charge, step 4
At 70, the calculated charge information is transmitted.

FIG. 9 shows a processing routine of the vehicle unit 30. When an inquiry signal is received from the road unit (Step 452), the vehicle type information is fetched in Step 454.
That is, in the present embodiment, the vehicle type information fetched from the ECU 70 is stored in the memory circuit 48 of the vehicle-mounted device 30 (step 410, see FIG. 7), so the vehicle type information is fetched from the memory circuit 48.

In step 456, the received inquiry signal is used as a carrier wave, and the modulated wave obtained by modulating the carrier wave with the ID code which is an identification code for identifying the own vehicle, the gate information such as the entrance gate and the passing gate, and the acquired vehicle type information is returned. Send as a signal.

In step 458, when the signal of the charge information is received from the roadside device, in step 460, the charge is subtracted from the charge balance information stored in the IC card 62 based on the received charge information, and the subtracted balance. Memorize the information of.

In this way, the in-vehicle device controls the vehicle E
Since the vehicle type information stored in the CC is read and transmitted to the roadside device, even if the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on another vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device can read the vehicle-type information from the newly mounted vehicle. Therefore, even if the vehicle to be installed is different, the correct vehicle type information will be transmitted to the roadside machine, and the roadside machine can eliminate complicated processing such as image processing, comparison of predetermined information, and determination, which is simple and easy. Accurate toll collection can be done automatically with the configuration.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is substantially the same as the above-mentioned first embodiment, so the description of the same parts will be omitted. In the first embodiment described above, the vehicle type information is stored in the volatile storage circuit 4
In the present embodiment, the vehicle type information is stored in the ROM (not shown) of the signal processing circuit 46.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the ignition is turned on, in step 404, the transmission of vehicle type information is requested, and the EC
The signal received from U70 is checked for errors (steps 406 and 408), and in step 432, the ECU 70
It is determined whether the vehicle type information received from the vehicle type information and the vehicle type information stored in the ROM do not match, and if they match, the processing ends because the vehicle-mounted device is attached to the vehicle to be originally used. If they do not match, the in-vehicle device
Since it is not attached to the vehicle that should be used originally,
In step 434, the vehicle type information received from the ECU 70 is stored in the RAM. If the vehicle type information is already stored in the RAM, the received new vehicle type information is stored in addition to the already stored vehicle type information. As a result, the vehicle type information already stored cannot be taken in by the newly stored vehicle type information. At the next step 436, the vehicle type information stored in the ROM cannot be used. If the result of the error check of the signal received from the ECU 70 is abnormal, the same processing as the processing of the first embodiment described above is performed (steps 412 and 414).

The processing of the ECU 70 when the transmission of the vehicle type information is requested is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above (steps 422, 424, 426, see FIG. 8).

In the toll collection process in the present embodiment, in the vehicle type information fetch process in step 454 (see FIG. 9) in the above-mentioned toll collection process, as shown in FIG. It is determined whether or not the stored vehicle type information can be used. If the vehicle type information stored in the ROM cannot be used, the vehicle-mounted device is not attached to the vehicle to be originally used, and therefore the vehicle type information fetched from the ECU 70 is used. The vehicle type information is fetched from RAM. On the other hand, if the vehicle type information stored in the ROM can be used,
Since the vehicle is originally attached to the vehicle, the vehicle type information is read from the ROM in step 474.

As described above, when the vehicle type information received from the ECU 70 and the vehicle type information stored in the ROM in the signal processing circuit match, the vehicle type information in the ROM is used, and when the vehicle type information does not match, the ECU 70 The vehicle type information received from the RAM is stored in the RAM so that the vehicle type information in the ROM cannot be used and the vehicle type information in the RAM is used. Therefore, when the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on another vehicle, Since the machine transmits the vehicle type information of the newly installed vehicle, the roadside machine can always perform toll collection processing based on accurate vehicle type information, image processing, comparison of predetermined information, judgment etc. It is possible to eliminate the complicated processing of, and it is possible to automatically collect accurate tolls with a simple configuration.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle type information is fetched from the ECC, but in the present embodiment, the vehicle type information is only stored in advance in the RAM in the storage circuit of the vehicle-mounted device 30. Since the configuration is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment described above, the description of the same parts will be omitted.

Here, the entrance gate 10 in the present embodiment.
Before the three lanes 102, 104, 106 of 0,
As shown in FIG. 14, the lanes 102, 104, 106
Lanes 142 and 144 are provided separately from the lane 150 that follows. Site 1 between lanes 142 and 150
43, site 145 between lane 150 and lane 144
Vehicle type information writing devices 152 and 154 are arranged in the vehicle. The vehicle type information writing devices 152 and 154 are ICs.
When the card 62 is attached and detached, the attached IC card 62
The vehicle type information is written by the worker. The vehicle type information writing devices 152 and 154 are connected to the entrance gate 10
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be provided in the midway gates, exit gates, and other service areas.

Here, the storage circuit 48 in which the vehicle type information is stored is volatile, so that when the vehicle-mounted device 30 is removed from the vehicle and the power is cut off, the stored information is lost. It has become. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted device 30 must always be attached to the vehicle. That is,
When the ignition is turned on, the in-vehicle device 30 performs step 49.
2 (see FIG. 13), it is determined whether or not the storage circuit 48 has vehicle type information.

Here, the case where the vehicle type information does not exist in the storage circuit 48 is the case where the vehicle-mounted device 30 is removed from the vehicle. Since the storage circuit 48 is volatile as described above, the information in the storage circuit 48 is lost when the power supply to the vehicle-mounted device 30 is cut off.

If the storage circuit 48 has the vehicle type information, the in-vehicle device 30 has not been detached from the vehicle even once, and the process is terminated. On the other hand, when there is no vehicle type information in the storage circuit 48, in step 494, the in-vehicle device 30
Perform processing to stop the function of. That is, even if a signal is input from a roadside device, processing according to the input signal is not performed. Then, in step 496, the display 64 is caused to emit light to notify that the function of the vehicle-mounted device 30 is stopped.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the memory circuit 48 in the vehicle-mounted device 30 is volatile, the information in the memory circuit 48 is lost when the vehicle-mounted device 30 is removed from the vehicle. After that, even if a signal is received from the roadside device, the toll collection process is not performed. Therefore, in order to automatically perform the toll collection process, the vehicle-mounted device must be attached to a predetermined vehicle and used. . Therefore, the in-vehicle device always transmits the correct vehicle type information of the predetermined vehicle to the roadside device, and the roadside device can always perform the fee collection process based on the accurate vehicle type information, image processing, Complicated processing such as comparison and determination of predetermined information can be eliminated, and accurate fee collection can be automatically performed with a simple configuration.

As described above, once the vehicle-mounted device is removed from the vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device cannot be used again even if the vehicle-mounted device is accidentally removed from the vehicle not for improper use. Will end up.

Therefore, in order to cope with such a case, in this embodiment, the vehicle type information writing devices 152, 154
I try to write the car type information.

That is, when the IC card 62 is given to the worker who manages the vehicle type information writing device 152, the worker
The IC card 62 is inserted into a predetermined location of the vehicle type information writing device 152, and vehicle type information according to the vehicle type of the vehicle 90 is written in the IC card 62 by the vehicle type information writing device 152.

Then, the driver who receives the IC card 62 in which the vehicle type information is written from the worker inserts the IC card 62 into the vehicle-mounted device 30. When the IC card 62 is inserted, the in-vehicle device 30 determines whether the vehicle type information is stored in the storage circuit 48. If the vehicle type information is stored in the storage circuit 48, the process ends. If the vehicle type information is not stored in the storage circuit 48, the vehicle type information is fetched from the IC card 62 and the vehicle type information is stored in the storage circuit. Four
Store in 8.

As described above, the vehicle type information is stored in the storage means fixedly installed in the vehicle so that the accurate charge can be collected with a simple structure. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Not on the roadside equipment installed on the road,
In an automatic fee collection device for automatically performing fee collection processing by communicating with an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, the in-vehicle device stops the fee collection process when the in-vehicle device is separated from the vehicle. May be provided to collect an accurate fee with a simple structure.

That is, as a stopping means, a vehicle type information storing means for storing vehicle type information of a vehicle in which the vehicle mounting apparatus is mounted is provided in the in-vehicle device, and the vehicle type information storing means is stored when the power is cut off. Make sure that the information on the type of vehicle you have made is lost.

In this way, the vehicle type information stored in the vehicle type information storage means is lost when the power source is shut off. Therefore, when the vehicle-mounted device is removed from the vehicle, the power supply to the storage means is shut off and stored. The vehicle type information stored in the means is lost, and toll collection stops. Therefore, if it is installed in a predetermined vehicle, the in-vehicle device will always send accurate vehicle type information to the roadside device, and the roadside device will always automatically perform charge collection processing based on the correct vehicle type information. You can

Further, in the invention described in claim 1, as the stopping means, the above-mentioned vehicle type information taking-in means is made to lose the information taken in when the power source is cut off.

As described above, when the vehicle-mounted device in which the vehicle type information is fetched from the storage means fixedly installed in the vehicle is removed from the vehicle, the vehicle type information fetching means is fetched after the vehicle is detached from the vehicle. The vehicle type information that was saved will be lost, the vehicle type information cannot be sent, and the toll collection will stop. Therefore, when the vehicle-mounted device is newly attached to the vehicle, the vehicle-mounted device must take in the vehicle type information of the vehicle stored in the storage means fixedly installed in the newly-mounted vehicle and transmit it to the roadside device. So, the road machine
The charge collection process can always be automatically performed based on the correct vehicle type information.

As described above, if the toll collection process is stopped when the vehicle-mounted device is detached from the vehicle in which the vehicle is mounted, the vehicle-mounted device always has the correct vehicle type if it is attached to a predetermined vehicle. Information will be sent to the roadside machine, which will be able to collect tolls accurately, and will be able to process images,
Complicated processing such as comparison and determination of predetermined information can be eliminated, and accurate fee collection can be automatically performed with a simple configuration.

[0075]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, the vehicle type information of the vehicle stored in the storage means fixedly installed in the vehicle is fetched and transmitted to the roadside machine. Mounted on different types of vehicles,
The vehicle type information of the newly installed vehicle will be transmitted to the roadside machine, and the roadside machine can always automatically perform the fee collection process based on the correct vehicle type information, image processing, and predetermined information. It is possible to eliminate complicated processing such as comparison and determination, and it is possible to automatically perform accurate charge collection with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an automatic fee collection device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an entrance gate of the automatic fee collection device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing an intermediate route of the automatic fee collection device of FIG.

4 is a schematic perspective view showing an exit gate of the automatic toll collection device of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an in-vehicle device and an ECU of the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a roadside machine.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing routine of the vehicle-mounted device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing routine of the ECU of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing routine on the in-vehicle device side in the fee collection processing at the exit gate of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing routine on the side of a roadside device in a toll collection process at the exit gate according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing routine on the vehicle-mounted device side according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of vehicle type information import processing in the fee collection processing of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing routine on the vehicle-mounted device side according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an installation place of a vehicle type information writing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30 In-vehicle device 100 Entrance gate 117 Entrance antenna 200 Midway route 217 Route grasping antenna 300 Exit gate 317 Notice antenna 341 Tollgate antenna

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic toll collection device for automatically performing toll collection processing by communicating information including vehicle type information between a roadside device installed on a road and an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, wherein the vehicle A storage means for storing vehicle type information of the vehicle is fixedly installed in the vehicle, and a vehicle type information capturing means for capturing the vehicle type information stored in the storage means is provided in the vehicle-mounted device. apparatus.