AT500265A1 - METHOD FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF TOLLS - Google Patents

Description

1

Pat. 10 E + C engineering & Consulting Agency L. Freudenschuss

A-1050 VIENNA

Method of calculating tolls

The invention relates to a method for the assessment of tolls based on a microwave transponder system with transponders in the vehicles, in the storage of which the vehicle data essential for tolling are stored and a plurality of stationary microwave ovens installed at intervals along the roads to be tolled. Systems ("toll bars"), which have a transmitting and a receiving part and query the vehicle data stored in the transponders when passing vehicles and forward them to a central computer system in which calculates the tolls in dependence on the vehicle data and the distance traveled and the vehicle owners are burdened with this.

In the transition from the originally flat-rate toll on the above-described road-bound toll system has been shown that a significant number of trucks escapes for economic reasons of the toll route to lower-ranking, toll-free routes.

The operating costs of a truck result from a path-dependent (a t € / kml) and a time-dependent component (B [€ / h]), whereby amongst the former u.a. the fuel and lubricant costs, the wear of the tires and a depreciation depending on the driving distance as well as any road-related toll are subsumed, while the time-related costs essentially include the personnel costs, insurances, taxes and other costs.

Pat.10 «4 0 0 • · • 0 • · • * • t · 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 · 0 0 0 0 0 0 · ···· a time-dependent Include depreciation. For a toll route 1, which connects the points E and F and has a length of S i [km] for which a travel time T i [h] results taking speed limits into account, costs for K are incurred by the vehicle owner for this route i = ((A + M) * S i + B * T i), where M represents the path-dependent toll of the relevant truck class. On an alternative route 2, which also connects E and F, costs of K 2 ~ (A * S2 + B * T2) arise, where S 2 and T 2 denote the corresponding distances and travel times on the alternative route 2. If K j < = K 2, the truck will stay on the toll route, but K i > K 2 is to be expected that a number of, especially local, drivers prefer the alternative route. The larger the difference (K 2 - K j), the more attractive it will be for a truck operator to choose the alternative route and therefore the greater will be the transit traffic on these routes.

These alternative routes use low-level roads, which, in contrast to toll roads (highways and expressways) have a route through more densely populated areas, they are usually not without crossings and have oncoming traffic. As a rule, such routes also have no soundproofing measures. With increased traffic, this results in a much higher environmental impact for the residents of these roads and for all road users on these routes an increased accident risk.

To avoid these problems, it has already been proposed to include the alternative routes in the toll. This proposal is certainly correct in its approach, but fails because of the exorbitant installation costs that would result in a microwave transponder system, since each intersection or junction would have to be equipped with the appropriate microwave interrogation systems (toll bars). A disadvantage of a tolling of such lower-ranking routes is further that 2 ι}

Pat.10 •

Ί such toll also covers all local traffic, e.g. the delivery traffic would be charged.

The invention is based on the recognition that to contain the additional traffic on the low-level road networks by "toll refugees" the entire transit traffic between two points E and F should be tolled on a toll road, regardless of the route between the two Points is selected. According to the invention, this is achieved by first determining the shortest travel times T "along such alternative routes taking into account all Halliger speed limits for incorporating routes not equipped with fixed microwave systems into the toll system, which connect a descent of a tolled road with a driveway of such and when the tolled vehicle is approached on a road to be tolled, its vehicle data read out from the corresponding microwave system is compared with those registered in a departure microwave system a time Tx, where Tx &lt; k * T "and Tx <r * Tn, the vehicle owner is charged a toll, which preferably corresponds to the toll that would be incurred on the corresponding toll route, preferably: 0.75 &lt; k &lt; = 1 and 1 &lt; r &lt; 1.5. If the registered time period between leaving the toll route at a departure and the driveway at another point of this route, for example, between 0.75 and 1.5 times the travel time on the shortest alternative route, it is safe to assume that by using the alternative route the toll duty should be avoided. However, if the time span is longer, the driver on the avoidance route is likely to perform other tasks, e.g. Deliveries, observance of rest periods, waiting for time-limited driving restrictions, such as weekend or night driving bans etc. 3 j Pat.10

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An advantage of this solution is that, apart from very few exceptions, it does not require hardware investments, but can be realized by software. Another advantage is that this system does not burden local traffic along these alternative routes with a toll.

An additional improvement in traffic safety along the alternative routes results when, according to a further feature of the invention, compliance with the traffic regulations is monitored seamlessly by the "toll refugees". This is done by having Tx &lt; T "is and or or when the travel time on the alternate route falls within a time in which on the alternate route driving prohibitions, e.g. Nachfahrverbote, have passed the corresponding data regarding the compliance with the traffic rules to be checked by transit drivers. If the time between departure and renewed driveway on a toll road is shorter than the time determined for the shortest alternative route variant, the speed limits by the driver have certainly not been sufficiently observed.

In traffic monitoring, the so-called "section control", which is the monitoring of the average speed on certain sections of road instead of the usual punctual measurement of the instantaneous speed of vehicles has proven extremely useful. However, these systems require a very high amount of hardware and software: all vehicles passing through the beginning of the measuring section are recorded with digital cameras. For each such recording the time is registered. With complex image evaluation methods, the vehicle license plates are read out of the recordings. The same process is performed at the end of the measurement path. The data at the end of the measuring section are compared with those from the start of the measuring section. If the travel time of a road user on the test track is below the time determined taking into account the speed limits, the corresponding requirements have been disregarded. What with 4

Pat.10 • ♦ ♦ 1 an extreme effort is achieved in the inventive method quasi as a byproduct.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a few examples: FIG. 1 shows schematically the principle of the microwave-supported toll system. At some, in the figures 2 to 4 schematically shown examples, the invention will be explained in more detail.

According to Fig. 1, along a toll road, e.g. a highway, a variety of so-called. Toll bar installed. These consist of a, the lanes spanning portal 4, on which a number of microwave transmitters and receivers 5 are arranged. Each lane is assigned a special transmitting and receiving unit. Via an antenna 6, the transmitter permanently emits interrogation signals. If a toll vehicle 7, which is equipped with a transponder 8, passes such a toll bar, the transponder responds and sends to the receiver a data record containing the name of the vehicle owner, the license plate number and all data relevant for the calculation of the toll, such as the number of axles , Tonnage etc. includes. The data D p are forwarded to a central computer 11, which calculates the path-dependent toll charge for a specific vehicle from the data 12 of the various toll bars installed along the route at defined intervals and the vehicle-class-dependent toll rates. The exit from the toll road or a driveway to the same can be registered by, on these departures and driveways installed toll bars. It is also common to derive the departure or departure of a vehicle from or on the toll road from the data of a toll tower pair, one of which is located on the toll road before and the second after an up and down. The toll fee determined by the computer 11 is debited from an account 14 of the vehicle owner and issued a booking message 32. 5 ι

Pat.10 • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · «· ·» · ♦ ·· ♦ 9 ····· · · ··· ··· ή

According to the invention, it is now proposed to determine the shortest travel times T "for the known alternative routes (for example, about 50 such routes throughout Austria) taking into account the applicable speed restrictions. If there are several alternative routes between two points E and F of the toll route network, the calculation will be based on the most cost-effective variant. The travel times T "of the various known alternative routes for a toll route network are stored in a memory 13, which is accessed by the computer 11. If the computer now determines that a specific vehicle 7 defined by the license plate ascends the toll route on a driveway F, it checks whether it is determined in a preceding time window which is determined by the corresponding shortest travel time T "on the alternative route , a departure of this vehicle 7 has been registered at the exit E. The time window is defined by the relationships Tx &lt; k * T "and Tx &lt; r * T ", where preferably: 0.5 &lt; k &lt; = 1 and 1 &lt; r &lt; 1.5. The factor r can be tuned individually to the respective route and stored together with the travel time T "in the memory 13. For example, if k = 0.75 and r = 1.5, and the registered time difference Tx between driveway at F and departure at E Tx &lt; 1.5 * T ", it is most likely to be assumed that this journey will circumvent the toll section. The computer 11 calculates a toll fee for the alternative route and thus loads the account 14 of the vehicle owner. Preferably, the toll fee is set in accordance with the charge that would have been incurred on the route traveled. Does the driver but on this alternative route other tasks such. For example, to perform deliveries, Tx &gt; 1.5 * T "be. The same applies if the driver leaves the toll route, for example, to take a break or wait for any existing time bans. By charging a toll for alternative routes they also lose their attractiveness for vehicle owners, so that the volume of transit traffic on these routes is largely eliminated. An advantage of this solution is that the local traffic, such as the delivery traffic, etc. not by the toll 6 99 ···· 99 • ···· ·· · 9

i PatlO Λ • 999999 • t ····· · 99999 · 9 9 9 9 «9 ·· • 9 999 9 999 9 99 is loaded. It is also not necessary for such vehicles to carry appropriate transponder 8. The collection of tolls for transit journeys on alternative routes generally takes place, so that there is no discrimination whatsoever, which could possibly contradict applicable law.

In order to prevent tampering with the obligation to pay tolls, stationary and mobile control devices are used along the toll routes. No additional equipment is needed to control the tolling of the alternative routes. In the case where the traveling time for a vehicle on the avoidance route Tx &lt; Tn, it must be assumed that the speed limits applicable on this route have not been complied with. These data are forwarded to a computer 15 of the road administration or the executive, which, if necessary, after a driver determination, issued a penalty order 33.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a toll motorway 1 and the associated lower-level alternative route 2. The highway has between the exit E a and the driveway F b on a first leg 1 a, on another, after a motorway junction, the route 1 b. The path on the entire route 1 is S i, the travel time T i. The departure E a are the toll bars 20,21, the driveway F b the toll bars 22,23 assigned. On the alternative route 2 a is the travel time T 2, the associated distance is S 2. Since in this case S 2 is significantly smaller than S1, the use of the alternative route 2 is particularly attractive to vehicle operators. If the route 2 but occupied with a toll corresponding to the route 1, so loses the alternative route to attractiveness, so that the transit traffic will return to the highway 1 again. 7 1

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In this case, the alternative route 2 c runs parallel to the highway 1. The departure and the associated driveway are denoted by E c and F c, the corresponding toll bars with 24.25 or respectively. 26.27. FIG. 4 shows a special case for the example according to FIG. In this case, both the highway 1 d and the alternative route 2 d crosses a state border 31. The departure E d with the toll bars 28,29 is this side, the corresponding driveway F d beyond the state border 31 arranged. Since in general a cross-border tolled tolling system will not be feasible, an additional toll bar 30 is installed at the border crossing on the alternative route 2 d, the data of which replace the otherwise used data of a driveway F.

Vienna, April 30, 2004 E + C engineering &amp; Consulting Agency L. Freudenschuss 8

Claims (2)

ψ Pat.10 · · · · ······························································································································································· Ed. Consulting Agentur L. Freudenschuss A-1050 WIEN Claims: 1. A method for calculating tolls based on a microwave transponder system with transponders in the vehicles, in the memory of which the vehicle data essential for tolling are stored and a plurality, at intervals along the roads to bemautenden esp. Also installed on the ascents and descents of the same, stationary microwave systems that have a transmitting and a receiving part and abzufagen the vehicle data stored in the transponders when passing vehicles and forward them to a central computer system, which charge the toll fee as a function of the vehicle data and the distance traveled and charge the vehicle owner with this, characterized in that the inclusion of not equipped with fixed microwave systems routes that a departure of a toll road with a Auff Ahrt one such connect with each other, in the toll system, wherein first the shortest travel times T "along such alternative routes, taking into account allfalliger speed limits are determined and at the driveway F of a toll vehicle 7 on a road to be tolled 1, from the corresponding microwave system read out vehicle data are compared with those that have been registered in a microwave system 5 a departure E before a time Tx, and when Tx &lt; k * Tn and Tx &lt; r * Tn is charged to the vehicle owner with a toll, which preferably corresponds to 1, the toll that would accrue on the corresponding tolling route, wherein preferably: 0.75 &lt; k &lt; = 1 and 1 &lt; r &lt; 1.5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that when Tx &lt; T "and / or when the travel time on the alternate route 2 falls within a time in which travel bans, e.g. Night driving bans, the relevant data will be used to check compliance with traffic regulations. Vienna, April 30, 2004 E + C engineering &amp; Consulting Agency L. Freudenschuss