JP2001167300A - System and method for collecting parking charges - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a parking charge collecting system capable of suitably dealing with a vehicle, which is not actually parked. SOLUTION: This system is provided with a charge collecting means 30 for calculating the time of stay of a vehicle, which is to leave a parking lot, inside the parking lot and setting the amount of account settling processing to free or discount charges when the calculated time of stay is less than a threshold value and a gate control means 10 for opening the gate of the parking lot after account settling processing in the toll collecting means is completed. When a vehicle, which enters the parking lot, comes to an exit without actual parking, maximum required time is held as a threshold value. Thus, the vehicle, which erroneously enters the parking lot, can be suitably handled without manual aid.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a parking fee collection system in an unmanned parking lot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various types of conventional unmanned parking lots. In a ticket-issuing parking lot, if you take a parking ticket from the ticket issuing machine at the entrance, the barrier will rise and you can enter the parking lot. The parking fee is displayed, and when the parking fee is entered, the barrier is raised and it is possible to exit the parking lot.

[0003] The parking ticket is printed with the entry time at the time of issuance, and the toll collection machine calculates the parking time from the time of the parking ticket. If the parking time is within the reference time, a basic fee is charged. If it exceeds, an extra parking fee will be charged.

[0004]

However, in the conventional unmanned parking lot, when a vehicle entering the parking lot accidentally tries to leave without parking or an appropriate parking space cannot be found in the parking lot. For this reason, there is a problem that when the driver tries to leave without parking, he or she cannot pay a basic fee or call a clerk to raise the barrier.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a parking fee collection system capable of appropriately coping with a vehicle that has not substantially parked.

[0006]

Therefore, according to the present invention, a DSRC (Dedicated Shorter) is provided between a vehicle equipped with an on-board unit.
t Range Communication), in a parking fee collection system that performs payment processing of the parking fee, calculates the length of stay in the parking lot of the vehicle that is going to leave the parking lot, and when the calculated staying time is less than the threshold, There are provided a toll collection means for setting the amount of the settlement processing to free or a discount rate, and a gate control means for raising the gate of the parking lot after the completion of the settlement processing by the toll collection means.

[0007] Further, in the parking fee collection method of this system, the maximum time required for a vehicle entering a parking lot to come to an exit without substantially parking the vehicle is held as a threshold, and the vehicle tries to exit the parking lot. The stay time of the vehicle in the parking lot is calculated, and when the stay time is less than the threshold value, the amount of the settlement processing is set to free or a discount rate.

[0008] Therefore, it is possible to appropriately cope with a vehicle or the like that accidentally enters a parking lot without bothering the user.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In a parking fee collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a DSRC (Narrow Area Communication) is performed with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle entering a parking lot, and an IC inserted into the on-vehicle device is performed. Make payment with the card. DSRC,
Because of the small-zone communication using the 5.8 GHz band, information can be transmitted / received pinpointly to a specific vehicle several meters away from the antenna.

[0010] The I inserted into the vehicle-mounted device using the DSRC
The method of performing toll settlement with a C card is based on an automatic toll collection system (ETC: Electronic Toll Collec) on toll roads.
section). When issuing an IC card, information such as a vehicle ID, an in-vehicle device ID, and a bank account for withdrawing a fee is registered in the center.
Similar data is recorded on the IC card.

[0011] Further, the amount of the usage frame drawn from the bank account is recorded on the IC card, and every time a toll road or a parking lot is used, a toll or a parking fee is deducted therefrom. In DSRC, the vehicle ID recorded on the IC card
Alternatively, if data on the remaining amount of the usage frame is transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device and the remaining amount is less than the usage fee, the payment by the IC card is rejected.

The amount settled using the IC card is finally deducted from the user's bank account through the center. The IC card can be used not only for settlement of tolls and parking fees, but also for payment of goods purchased in shopping.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a parking fee collection system according to an embodiment.

This system includes vehicle detection sensors 22, 21 for detecting vehicles, and 5.8 for detecting vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot at the entrance and exit of the parking lot.
Antennas 24 and 23 for performing the DSRC in the GHz band, and gates 26 and 25 for restricting the movement of the vehicle,
A terminal 10 for controlling these means, a parking fee collection device 30 for performing a parking fee collection process based on information from the terminal 10, and a center 50 for storing IC card registration information.
And

Further, the terminal device 10 includes vehicle detection sensors 22, 21.
Vehicle detection units 18, 13 that detect vehicles based on the detection signal of
DSRC radio units (RF units) 17, 14; gate control units 16, 15 for controlling opening and closing of gates (elevation of poles);
The communication system includes a communication control unit 11 that communicates with the parking fee collection device 30 and includes a connection unit and a communication driver, and an arithmetic processing unit 12 that controls the operation of each unit.

The parking fee collection device 30 holds a communication control unit 31 for communicating with the terminal 10, a voice data generation unit 32 for generating a voice message to be transmitted to the user, and data obtained from the center 50. Data holding unit 33 and center 50
A communication unit 36 that communicates with the communication unit 36 and an arithmetic processing unit 34 that controls each unit and performs necessary calculations.

The center 50 includes a communication unit 51 for communicating with the parking fee collection device 30, and a central personal computer 52 for managing registration information of the IC card.

In this system, when a vehicle using a parking lot enters the position of the vehicle detection sensor 22 at the entrance, a detection signal of the vehicle detection sensor 22 is sent to the terminal 10. The vehicle detection sensor 22 includes, for example, a loop coil, a light reflection type sensor, a light cutoff type sensor, and the like.

When the vehicle detecting section 18 detects the entry of the vehicle from the detection signal of the vehicle detecting sensor 22, the processing section of the terminal 10
12 activates the RF unit 17 to start DSRC. When the vehicle that has entered has an in-vehicle device, information on the vehicle ID and the balance is transmitted from the in-vehicle device in response to the transmission from the antenna 24. The arithmetic processing unit 12 transmits the information received through the RF unit 17 from the communication control unit 11 to the parking fee collection device.
Send to 30. The parking fee collection device 30 gives permission for entry to the terminal device 10 when the remaining amount exceeds the basic fee,
The message generated by the audio data generation unit 32, for example,
A message such as “Please enter the parking lot” is also transmitted to the terminal device 10.

The arithmetic processing unit 12 of the terminal 10 includes a gate control unit
The gate 26 is raised through 16 and a message is transmitted from a speaker (not shown). Thereby, the vehicle enters the parking lot.

On the other hand, when the vehicle using the parking lot does not have the vehicle-mounted device, there is no response to the transmission from the antenna 24. Therefore, the gate 26 remains closed. In this case, the user takes a parking ticket from a ticket issuing machine (not shown), and the gate 26 rises. This is the same as the conventional ticketing type parking system.

The arithmetic processing unit 34 of the parking fee collection device 30 that has acquired the information from the on-board unit stores the information in association with the reception time (entrance time). In addition, the vehicle ID included in the received information is sent to the center 50, the registered information is obtained and stored in the data storage unit 33, and this information is compared with the information obtained from the vehicle-mounted device.

Next, when the vehicle to exit the parking lot passes through the position of the vehicle detection sensor 21 at the exit, the vehicle detection unit 13 detects the vehicle, and the arithmetic processing unit 12 of the terminal 10 Is activated to perform DSRC. When the vehicle that intends to leave the parking lot has an on-board unit, the vehicle ID is transmitted from the responding on-board unit, and the vehicle ID is sent to the parking fee collection device 30.

The arithmetic processing unit 34 of the parking fee collection device 30 calculates the parking time from the difference between the entry time and the current time stored in association with the vehicle ID. Then, first, the parking time is compared with a preset threshold value.

This threshold is set to the maximum required time when a vehicle entering the parking lot comes to the exit without substantially parking.

When the parking time is less than the threshold, the processing unit 34 of the parking fee collection device 30 gives the terminal 10 permission to participate without performing the process of collecting the parking fee.

In response, the processing unit 12 of the terminal 10
The gate 25 is raised through the gate control unit 15. This allows the vehicle to exit the parking lot without having to pay the parking fee.

If the parking time is equal to or longer than the threshold, the processing unit 34 of the parking fee collection device 30 calculates and calculates the parking fee according to the parking time in order to perform the parking fee collection process. The parking fee is subtracted from the balance of the IC card usage frame, and the balance after the parking fee is subtracted is calculated.

The information on the balance is sent to the terminal 10 together with the information for giving permission to leave and the message information generated by the voice data generation unit 32, and the arithmetic processing unit 12 of the terminal 10
Transmits the balance information from the RF unit 14 to the vehicle-mounted device. This information is received by the vehicle-mounted device, and the balance of the IC card is rewritten. In addition, the arithmetic processing unit 12 of the terminal 10 raises the gate 25 through the gate control unit 15 and sends, for example, a message “Thank you for your use” from the speaker. When the gate 25 is raised, the vehicle can exit the parking lot.

When the vehicle which is going to leave the parking lot does not have the vehicle-mounted device, there is no response to the transmission from the antenna 23, so that the gate 25 remains closed. In this case, as in the conventional method, the user inserts the parking ticket into the toll collection machine (not shown), inputs the displayed parking fee, and waits for the gate 25 to go up.

The processing unit 34 of the parking fee collection device 30
When the amount after subtracting the parking fee from the remaining amount of the IC card usage frame is negative, the terminal 10 is instructed not to participate in the entry without performing the parking fee automatic collection process. In addition, it transmits the message generated by the voice data generation unit 32 and instructing the user to pay the parking fee by the toll collection machine, and the calculated parking fee.

In response to this, the terminal 10 sends the message "Please pay the parking fee with the toll collection machine" from the speaker with the gate 25 closed, and displays the parking fee on the toll collection machine. When the user enters the fee into the fee collection machine, the arithmetic processing unit 12 of the terminal device 10 instructs the gate control unit 15 to raise the gate 25.

In this case, the parking fee is set free of charge when the vehicle entering the parking lot does not substantially park, but a discounted parking fee may be collected. In this case, as in the case where the parking time exceeds the threshold, the automatic collection processing is performed at a discounted rate.

FIG. 2 shows a parking fee collection procedure of this system.

Step 1: When a vehicle enters a parking lot, a vehicle ID and the like are acquired by DSRC, and the entry time and the like are stored.

Step 2: When the vehicle exits from the parking lot, the time spent in the parking lot is calculated from the entry time and the entry time. Step 3: The staying time of the vehicle is determined by a predetermined time (threshold). Step 4: If the time has passed, execute the normal charging process. If the time has not passed, execute the special charge process (free of charge, discount, etc.). I do.

As described above, in the parking fee collection system of this embodiment, it is possible to set an appropriate fee for a vehicle that has entered the parking lot but has not substantially parked.
It is possible to rescue a vehicle that accidentally enters a parking lot.

[0038]

As is apparent from the above description, the parking fee collection system according to the present invention can be used for a vehicle that has entered, but has not substantially parked, such as a vehicle that has accidentally entered a parking lot. It is possible to get out of the parking lot in a manner that does not complain about it, that is, for free or for a small fee.

Since this process can be performed automatically without any need for human intervention, the burden on the side managing the parking lot can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a parking fee collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the parking fee collection system of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Terminal 11 Communication control unit 12 Arithmetic processing unit 13, 18 Vehicle detection unit 14, 17 RF unit 15, 16 Gate control unit 21, 22 Vehicle detection sensor 23, 24 Antenna 25, 26 Gate 30 Parking toll collection device 31 Communication control Unit 32 Audio data generation unit 33 Data holding unit 34 Operation processing unit 36 Communication unit 50 Center 51 Communication unit 52 Central personal computer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Akihisa Kawasaki 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. No.3-1, Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3E027 EA03 EB01 EC06 EC07 EC10

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. DSRC between a vehicle equipped with an on-board unit
In a parking fee collection system that processes the parking fee by Dedicated ShortRange Communication (Narrow Area Communication), the staying time of the vehicle that wants to leave the parking lot in the parking lot is calculated, and the calculated staying time is a threshold. If less than
A parking fee collection system comprising: a toll collection unit that sets a payment amount to a free or a discounted fee; and a gate control unit that raises a parking gate after the completion of the settlement process by the toll collection unit. . 2. The parking fee according to claim 1, wherein the threshold is set to a maximum required time when a vehicle entering a parking lot comes to an exit without substantially parking. Receiving system. 3. DSRC between a vehicle equipped with an on-board unit
In the parking fee collection method that setstle the usage fee of the parking lot, the maximum time required for a vehicle entering the parking lot to come to the exit without parking is retained as a threshold, and exit from the parking lot Calculating the staying time of the vehicle in the parking lot, and when the staying time is less than the threshold, setting the amount of the settlement processing to free or a discounted fee.