JP2002260036A - Toll collection system and method, alarming method of entry to toll road, and maintenance demand method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve efficiency of toll collection processing by using radiocommunication in a toll road. SOLUTION: This ETC(electronic toll collection) system is provided with a road side wireless installation 31 installed in an introduction part (lane changing section) in front of a tollgate of the toll road and wirelessly communicating with a vehicle passing though a lane toward the tollgate, and an alarm display board 33 installed in the lane changing section and, when the radiocommunication between the road side wireless installation 31 and the vehicle is not normally performed, issuing an alarm to prohibit the entry to the toll road, to the vehicle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toll collection system such as an ETC system installed on a toll road such as an expressway, a toll collection method, a method of warning a toll road, and a maintenance request method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, on toll roads such as highways, E
A TC system has been introduced.

In this ETC system, an IC card in which personal information and a settlement method are recorded is inserted into a vehicle-mounted device in which vehicle information is registered in advance, and a vehicle equipped with the vehicle-mounted device is installed at an entrance or an exit of a toll road. It communicates with a toll collection terminal installed at a tollgate via a wireless antenna, reads out information on the vehicle-mounted device and IC card, and settles the toll, and transfers money and toll tickets through people. This eliminates the need to temporarily stop the vehicle at the tollgate, and is an effective system as one means for alleviating traffic congestion around the tollgate.

[0004] With the introduction of this ETC system, toll roads will be equipped with ETC equipment (on-vehicle equipment for wireless communication processing with toll gate systems and this on-vehicle equipment) for all vehicles using the toll road in the future. Investigations are being made on the obligatory use of IC cards and the like to be set, to improve the efficiency of toll collection processing, and to reduce the environmental burden by reducing traffic congestion on toll roads.

[0005] However, even if the ETC equipment is obligated for all vehicles entering the toll road, vehicles without ETC equipment (non-ETC vehicles) do not necessarily enter the toll road as it is. Absent.

A vehicle equipped with ETC equipment (ETC equipment)
Even if it is a compatible vehicle, the ETC equipment may be broken down because it is mechanical equipment.
It is also conceivable that the driver of the abnormal car) enters the toll road without knowing it.

[0007] When such non-ETC vehicles or ETC abnormal vehicles frequently enter toll gates on toll roads, it is necessary to hand cash or the like as in the conventional toll ticket system. Despite this, the intended effect of improving the efficiency of toll collection processing cannot be obtained.

Further, in order to improve the effect of the obligatory ETC, it is necessary to detect a failure on the system side as soon as possible and to deal with it.

[0009]

As described above, the conventional ET is used.
In the C system, that is, the toll collection system, the ETC is designed to improve the efficiency of ETC's original toll collection process.
Although vehicles are being considered for mandatory use, vehicles without ETC equipment or vehicles with abnormal ETC equipment may enter toll roads, and these vehicles enter toll roads. It is necessary to take measures to prevent this from happening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and a toll collection system capable of obtaining an effect of improving the efficiency of toll collection processing using wireless communication on a toll road. It is intended to provide a way.

When a fault occurs in the system on the tollgate side, data to be acquired on the tollgate side is complemented by data from the vehicle introduction unit, and the ETC that has entered the tollgate
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toll collection system and a toll collection method that can reliably collect tolls for compatible vehicles and reduce the toll gate ETC processing error rate in operation.

Further, a toll collection system and a maintenance request method capable of promptly issuing a maintenance request to a higher-level system while preventing a trouble in operation when a failure occurs in a system on the tollgate side. It is intended to provide.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, a toll collection system according to the first aspect of the present invention is installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road before a toll gate on a toll road. Wireless communication means for performing wireless communication with a vehicle passing through the lane heading for the tollgate, and installed in the lane change section, when wireless communication between the wireless communication means and the vehicle cannot be performed normally, Warning means for giving a warning that the vehicle is prohibited from entering the toll road.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toll collection system provided in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road in front of a toll gate on a toll road, for vehicles passing through the lane toward the toll gate. Wireless communication means for acquiring information on the vehicle side by performing wireless communication with the vehicle, and wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle entering the toll road, which is installed at a tollgate on the toll road. Performing a toll collection process based on the vehicle side information obtained by the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit, respectively. And toll booth processing means for performing the operation.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toll collection system provided in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road before a toll gate on a toll road, for vehicles passing through the lane toward the toll gate. First wireless communication processing means for performing a process of determining whether or not the vehicle can enter a tollgate based on information on the vehicle obtained by performing wireless communication through the tollgate; A second wireless communication processing means for performing a toll collection process based on vehicle-side information obtained by performing wireless communication with a vehicle entering the road;
Storage means for storing, as histories, processing results obtained by the wireless communication processing means and the second wireless communication processing means;
When a processing abnormality occurs in only one of the wireless communication processing unit and the second wireless communication processing unit, the history of the storage unit is checked, and the frequency of occurrence of the abnormality exceeds a preset frequency. And means for making a maintenance request.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for warning a vehicle entering a toll road, the method comprising: Performing wireless communication with the vehicle, and, in the lane change section, when wireless communication with the vehicle cannot be performed normally, performing a warning that the vehicle is prohibited from entering the toll road. It is characterized by having.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toll collection method, wherein the first wireless communication means installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road before a toll gate on a toll road goes to the toll gate. A step of acquiring information on the vehicle side by performing wireless communication on a vehicle passing through the lane; and a step of acquiring second information by a second wireless communication means installed at a tollgate on the toll road. Acquiring the information on the vehicle side by performing wireless communication with the vehicle, and acquiring the information on the vehicle side acquired by the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means at the tollgate on the toll road, respectively. And performing a toll collection process based on the

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the maintenance request method, wherein the first wireless communication processing means installed in the lane change section between the general road and the toll road, before the toll gate on the toll road, sends the signal to the toll gate. Performing a process of determining whether the vehicle can enter a tollgate based on vehicle-side information obtained by performing wireless communication on a vehicle passing through the lane to which the vehicle travels; Performing a toll collection process based on vehicle-side information obtained by the installed second wireless communication processing means performing wireless communication with the vehicle entering the toll road; Storing a processing result by the communication processing unit and the second wireless communication processing unit as a history;
When the processing abnormality occurs in only one of the first wireless communication processing unit and the second wireless communication processing unit, the history is confirmed, and the frequency of the abnormality occurrence exceeds a preset frequency. And performing a maintenance request.

According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, a vehicle introduction section from a general road to a toll road following a toll gate on a toll road communicates with the vehicle by radio to determine whether the vehicle is an ETC-compatible vehicle or another vehicle. Non-ETC car, ETC abnormal car)
By issuing a warning that vehicles other than ETC-compatible vehicles are prohibited from entering the toll road, vehicles other than ETC-compatible vehicles are eliminated, and only ETC-compatible vehicles are guided to the toll road.
In other words, by eliminating vehicles that are not equipped with ETC such as non-ETC vehicles and ETC abnormal vehicles at the introduction section from ordinary roads to toll roads, it is possible to obtain the effect of improving the efficiency of ETC's original toll collection process on toll roads. it can.

According to the second and fifth aspects of the present invention, the first wireless communication means installed in the lane change section between the general road and the toll road in front of the toll gate on the toll road passes through the lane toward the toll gate. The information on the vehicle side is obtained by performing wireless communication with respect to the toll road, and the second wireless communication means installed at the tollgate on the toll road performs wireless communication with the vehicle entering the toll road. The vehicle-side information is acquired, and a toll collection process is performed at the tollgate on the toll road based on the vehicle-side information acquired by the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit, respectively. By complementing the information on the vehicle side from different routes in this way, the toll collection process can be performed reliably.

For example, when a failure occurs in the second wireless communication means on the tollgate side, the second wireless communication means on the tollgate side uses data from the first wireless communication means installed in the lane change section. By supplementing the data to be acquired in the toll, it will be possible to reliably collect tolls for ETC-compatible vehicles that have entered the tollgate.
The processing error rate can be reduced.

According to the third and sixth aspects of the present invention, the first wireless communication processing means installed in the lane change section between the general road and the toll road in front of the toll gate on the toll road changes the lane toward the toll gate. While performing a process of determining whether or not the vehicle can enter a tollgate based on information on the vehicle obtained by performing wireless communication with a passing vehicle, a second device installed at a tollgate on a toll road is provided. The wireless communication processing means performs toll collection processing based on information on the vehicle obtained by performing wireless communication with the vehicle entering the toll road. Then, the processing results of the first wireless communication processing means and the second wireless communication processing means are stored as a history, and the first wireless communication processing means and the second wireless communication processing means are stored.
When a processing error occurs in only one of the wireless communication processing means, the history is checked, and if the frequency of occurrence of the abnormality exceeds a preset frequency, a maintenance request is automatically sent to the upper system etc. As a system operation source, maintenance of the system can be performed promptly, and response to a system failure can be expedited.

That is, in the present invention, the approach of a vehicle is detected in front of a uniform highway tollgate dedicated to ETC, and ETC is performed.
It is determined whether the vehicle is normal or not, and a warning is issued to the vehicle that is not normal to prohibit entry to the expressway. As a result, non-E
By eliminating the TC vehicle and the ETC abnormal vehicle, the effect of improving the efficiency of the toll collection process inherent in the ETC can be obtained.

The lane change section before the tollgate is set to ET
The ETC-related information on the ETC-equipped vehicle that passed as C normal is transmitted to the ETC system side of the tollgate. Then, at the tollgate, the ETC-equipped vehicle is
When the TC process is completed normally, the relevant ETC related information is deleted. On the other hand, at the tollgate, when the ETC processing for the ETC-equipped vehicle becomes abnormal, the data is complemented with the ETC-related information from the introduction section (line change section), and the ETC processing is performed. When a failure occurs in the system on the toll booth in this way, the data to be acquired by the toll booth is complemented by the data from the introduction unit, and a reliable fee is charged for ETC-equipped vehicles entering the toll booth. To collect,
In operation, the tollgate ETC processing error rate can be reduced.

Further, if an abnormality occurs frequently in the ETC processing at the tollgate, a failure may have occurred in the equipment at the tollgate, so that a maintenance request is automatically transmitted from the tollgate ETC processing device to the upper system. . Thus, when a failure occurs in the system on the toll gate side, it is possible to expedite the response to the system failure while preventing the operation from being hindered.

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an Electronic TollColle of one embodiment of a toll collection system according to the present invention.
1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a ction system (hereinafter, referred to as an ETC system).

As shown in FIG. 1, this ETC system comprises a tollgate ETC system 1 and an introduction ETC system 3
And the host system 5 via a communication line.

The tollgate ETC system 1 is a tollgate ETC
Processing device 20, lane control device 10, vehicle detector 11, roadside wireless device (antenna) 12, roadside display 13, booth display 14, start control device 15, IC card reader device 16, lane monitoring control panel 17, It is composed of an ETC lane display plate 18 and the like.

The lane control device 10 is installed in each of the ETC lanes installed in a plurality of toll booths.
A device (roadside device) installed in the lane is controlled to execute a toll collection process based on information acquired via wireless communication or the IC card reader device 16 of the collection booth.

The tollgate ETC processing device 20 obtains information on the processing status of a plurality of ETC lanes at the tollgate and a request signal when an abnormality occurs from the lane control device 10 installed in each lane, and acquires the information at the tollgate. Overall management of ETC operation status.

The vehicle detector 11 has a plurality of ETCs at a tollgate.
It is installed at the entrance and exit of the lane, and detects entry and exit of the vehicle in the ETC lane.

The roadside apparatus (antenna) 12 is an ETC
The vehicle-mounted device 6 performs wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 6 mounted on a vehicle traveling in the lane, acquires vehicle information and IC card information from the vehicle-mounted device 6, and displays the result of the toll collection process by the lane control device 10 on the vehicle-mounted device 6. And store it in the vehicle-mounted device 6 or an IC card.

Various information, such as information on the vehicle (vehicle registration number, vehicle-mounted device ID, etc.), information on tollgates received from the ETC system, and information on toll collection results, are written in the on-vehicle device 6. A flash memory, a wireless communication unit for wireless communication with an antenna of the ETC system, a display unit for displaying information, an operation unit for a user to operate, and the like are provided.

The roadside indicator 13 is installed in the ETC lane, and wirelessly communicates between the vehicle-mounted device 6 and the lane controller 10 of the vehicle via the roadside wireless device (antenna) 12 while the vehicle is passing through the ETC lane. This is for displaying a processing status and a result when the processing is performed.

The booth display 14 is installed in the toll booth at the toll booth, and displays the contents of processing and operation to the toll booth.

The start control device 15 is installed near the exit of the ETC lane at the tollgate. This start control device 15
The vehicle is controlled by the lane control device 10 to be opened and closed to prevent the vehicle passing through the ETC lane from leaving or to encourage the vehicle to leave. For example, the lane control device 10 opens the path of the vehicle permitted to pass through the vehicle and exits the vehicle, and the lane control device 10 blocks the path of the vehicle not permitted to pass to prevent the vehicle from leaving.

The IC card reader 16 is an IC card set in the vehicle-mounted device 6 of an ETC-compatible vehicle when an ETC failure occurs.
Reads information from the card and displays the result of the charge collection process as an IC
It is for writing on a card.

The lane monitoring and control panel 17 monitors the processing status in the ETC lane, and when there is an inquiry from a staff member or a call from an intercom provided in each lane, notifies the staff member of the lane. Control lane equipment.

The ETC lane display plate 18 is provided at each toll booth ET.
It is installed in front of the C lane and serves to indicate whether it is possible to enter the ETC lane or not.

The tollgate ETC processing device 20 has an introduction section E
Interface section 21 with TC system 3 (hereinafter referred to as introduction section ETC system I / F section 21), introduction section ETC
A related information control unit 22 and a maintenance request control unit 23 are provided.

The introductory section ETC-related information control section 22 executes the lane control device 1 in the radio communication processing in the ETC lane of the tollgate.
0 indicates that the information required for toll collection was not obtained.
The information necessary for the toll collection process among the information received from the introduction unit ETC system 3 and stored in its own auxiliary storage device (memory, hard disk, etc.) is stored in the lane controller 10.
Performs a series of controls to send to and complement.

The maintenance request control unit 23 stores the contents of the ETC processing in each ETC lane (including the contents of the ETC abnormality in addition to the normal processing) as a history in its own auxiliary storage device (memory, hard disk, etc.). When the ETC abnormality having the same content is repeated a predetermined number of times, the host system 5
Issues a maintenance request command to

When the toll booth is operated in only one lane, the introduction unit ETC system I / F unit 21,
Introduction unit ETC related information control unit 22, maintenance request control unit 23
Such a configuration may be provided in the lane control device 10.

With reference to FIG. 2, an example of the equipment arrangement of the introduction unit ETC system 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, on a general road 41 having two lanes on each side (hereinafter, referred to as a general road 41),
It is assumed that a two-lane taxiway 42 is provided as an introduction section to a toll road. In this case, this additional section is a section where vehicles can change lanes from the general road 41 to the taxiway 42 or from the taxiway 42 to the general road 41. Taxiway 4
Reference numeral 2 denotes a branching section such as a separation zone 43, which is a dedicated approach path 44 to a tollgate on a toll road. Changes cannot be made.

The toll booth in this case is for entering a toll road with a uniform toll system dedicated to ETC.
A fixed fee is collected when entering a toll road from a general road.

The equipment of the introductory part ETC system 3 includes a lane control device 30, a roadside device (antenna) 31, a vehicle detecting device 32 (light curtain, etc.), a warning display plate 33, and the like. Each guideway 42 is provided along the vehicle traveling direction.

The vehicle detection device 32 is installed at the foremost position of each taxiway 42. A plurality of light emitters and light receivers are installed on poles on both sides of the lane to form a light curtain or the like. When the vehicle passes this position and blocks the light curtain, the vehicle is detected and the lane control device 30 is notified.

When a vehicle is detected by the vehicle detection device 32, the lane control device 30 turns to the roadside radio device (antenna).
The control unit 31 starts wireless communication with the vehicle, determines whether the vehicle is an ETC vehicle or another vehicle, and displays a message on the warning display panel 33 according to the determination result.

The lane control device 30 controls the entire vehicle.
PU, a memory for storing programs and data obtained from the outside, an auxiliary storage device such as a disk-shaped storage medium, and a communication I / F for communicating with the toll gate ETC system 1 and the upper system 5 for managing the entire toll gate processing. , A wireless I / F for controlling communication with a roadside apparatus 31 including an antenna, an operation display unit for displaying various operations and processing results, a display I / F for controlling communication with a warning display plate 33, vehicle detection It comprises an I / O device with the device 32 and the like.

The warning display panel 33 is a display device such as a light emitting diode array and a liquid crystal display device, and is controlled by the lane control device 30 to display a message.

For example, if there is no response from the vehicle (vehicle device 6 to be mounted on the vehicle) and no wireless communication can be performed (vehicle is a non-ETC vehicle), or even if wireless communication with vehicle device 6 is possible, ETC processing for the vehicle is performed. If sufficient information is not obtained for performing the vehicle (the vehicle is an ETC abnormal vehicle), the lane control device 2
0 indicates a warning message indicating that the vehicle is prohibited from entering the toll road (or toll booth).
To be displayed. When wireless communication with the vehicle (the vehicle-mounted device 6 to be mounted on the vehicle) is normally performed (when the vehicle is an ETC-compatible vehicle), the lane control device 20 transmits the vehicle to the toll road (or toll road). A warning message is displayed on the warning display board 33 to permit entry into the location.

Specifically, if the vehicle is, for example, an ETC-compatible vehicle, a message such as "Proceed to ETC dedicated tollgate" is displayed. If it is a non-ETC vehicle, "Non-ETC
C, to general road "and so on. Further, if the vehicle has an abnormal ETC, a message such as "ETC abnormal, to general road" is displayed.

The operation of the ETC system will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, the processing operation of the introduction unit ETC system 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the vehicle travels on the guideway 42 of the introduction section (Step 101: hereinafter referred to as S101) and is detected by the vehicle detection device 32 (S10).
2) Under the control of the lane controller 30, a radio wave is transmitted from the corresponding roadside apparatus 31 to the vehicle, and wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 6 attached to the vehicle is started (S10).
3). Note that the wireless communication may be performed by continuously emitting the radio wave from the roadside wireless device 31 without installing the vehicle detection device 32.

The lane control device 30 performs the introductory section ETC processing by the wireless communication, and the vehicle-mounted device 6 sends ID information (vehicle device 6ID, user ID, etc.) and vehicle information (vehicle number, vehicle number, etc.).
Acquisition (reading) of information such as vehicle type) and individual information (applicable to the negative list, balance, car information for discounts, etc.) Record (write) in the container 6
(S104).

The individual information corresponds to a negative list or the like in the case of a postpaid system.
In the case of, the remaining amount corresponds to this. Also, the introduction section ETC
The information read by the processing is transmitted to the tollgate ETC system 1 as ETC-related information (S10).
5).

Then, the lane control device 30 determines the result of the wireless communication with the vehicle (the on-vehicle device 6 thereof) and the introduction unit ETC process (S106).

When the ETC processing has been completed normally (S10
7), the lane control device 30 displays “ETC
A guidance display to the toll booth, such as "Proceed to a dedicated tollgate," is displayed, and if necessary, a display indicating that the vehicle-mounted device 6 is normal (S108).

When the lane control device 30 determines that the vehicle is a non-ETC vehicle (S109), the lane control device 30
A guidance display to a general road such as "Non-ETC, general road" is performed (S110).

When the ETC processing ends abnormally (S11
1) The lane control device 30 displays a guide to a general road such as "ETC abnormal, to a general road", and displays an abnormality on the vehicle-mounted device 6 as necessary (S112).

It should be noted that the criteria for determining the ETC abnormality include improving the tollgate ETC processing efficiency such as “only when an abnormality is confirmed on the vehicle-mounted device 6 side” and “including all cases where an abnormality occurs in the ETC processing”. To be determined in advance. If neither “ETC abnormality” nor “non-ETC” is found, it is treated as ETC normal.

Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4, a description will be given of a data complementing process using the introductory section ETC related information in the tollgate ETC system. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the data supplement processing operation of the tollgate ETC processing device 20.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle advances to the tollgate, and in each ETC lane of the tollgate ETC system 1, the lane control device 10 performs the ETC processing (here, the tollgate E).
While performing the TC processing (S201), each processing result is received by the tollgate ETC processing device 20, and the processing result is determined (S202).

As a result of this determination, for example, if an abnormality occurs (S209), the tollgate ETC processing device 20 records the abnormality occurrence history in its own auxiliary storage device, and the lane control device 10 In performing the processing,
The introductory section ETC related information is taken out and passed to the lane control device 10 to supplement information (data) necessary for ETC processing (S211).

The complementation of the data for the relevant lane controller 10 to perform the ETC process succeeds (Yes in S205), and the ET
If the C processing is completed normally (S206), the tollgate ET
The C processing device 20 treats that the tollgate ETC processing in the lane has been completed normally (S207).

On the other hand, when complementation of data to the lane controller 10 fails (No in S205) and an abnormality occurs (S205).
208), the tollgate ETC processing device 20 notifies the lane control device 10 to perform processing as an ETC abnormality, and the lane control device 10 performs processing as an ETC abnormality based on this notification (S209).

When the tollgate ETC processing has been completed normally (S210), the tollgate ETC processing device 20 checks the ETC-related information on the introduction unit for the vehicle (S2).
11).

As a result of this confirmation, when the introduction unit ETC processing has been completed normally (S212), the introduction unit ETC processing information is discarded (S213).

However, if the introductory section ETC processing ends abnormally but the toll booth ETC processing ends normally (S214), there is a possibility that the introductory section ETC system is abnormal. The device 20 records it as an introduction unit ETC abnormality history in its own auxiliary storage device (S2
15).

Next, the maintenance request processing in the ETC system will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a maintenance request processing operation relating to the tollgate ETC system 1, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a maintenance request operation relating to the introduction unit ETC system 3.

The maintenance request is roughly divided into a maintenance request relating to the tollgate ETC system 1 and a maintenance request relating to the introduction unit ETC system 3.

First, a maintenance request for the tollgate ETC system 1 will be described. As shown in FIG.
When an error occurs in the TC system 1 (S30
1), the tollgate ETC by the tollgate ETC processor 20
The history of the processing abnormality occurrence is recorded in the history storage area in the auxiliary storage device (S302).

Regarding the vehicle in which the ETC abnormality has occurred, the radio processing by the introduction unit ETC system has been completed normally, the above-mentioned data complementation has been successfully completed by the information related to the introduction unit ETC, and the tollgate ETC processing is normal in operation. When the process is completed, there is a concern that the tollgate ETC system 1 is abnormal.

Therefore, in this ETC system, every time an abnormality occurs, the maintenance request control unit 23 accesses the history of the occurrence of the ETC abnormality stored in the history storage area, and the abnormality having the same content in the same lane is detected. The frequency of occurrence is confirmed (S303).

As a result of this confirmation, when the frequency of occurrence of the same content in the same lane exceeds the predetermined frequency (S3
04, No), the maintenance request control unit 23 determines that there is a high possibility of an abnormality on the tollgate ETC system 1 side, and issues a maintenance request to the host system 5 to maintain the equipment on the tollgate ETC system 1 side. Is transmitted (S305).

Next, a maintenance request operation relating to the introduction unit ETC system 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, despite the occurrence of an abnormality in the wireless communication processing in the introduction unit ETC system 3 (S401), the tollgate ETC
When the wireless communication processing of the system 1 is completed normally (S4
02), a failure may have occurred on the introduction unit side.

At this time, on the side of the introduction unit ETC system 3, the history of the occurrence of the abnormality
(S403), and the lane control device 30 checks the abnormality occurrence history every time an abnormality occurs (S40).
4).

When the frequency of occurrence of the abnormality in the history of abnormality occurrence exceeds a predetermined frequency (No in S405), the lane control device 30 sets the ETC system 3
It is judged that there is a high possibility that an error has occurred in the device on the
A maintenance request is transmitted to the host system 5 (S40)
6).

As described above, according to the ETC system of this embodiment, the vehicle (vehicle-mounted device 6) whose wireless communication is not normal enters the toll road (tollgate) at the introduction section before the tollgate. By issuing the prohibition warning, non-ETC vehicles and ETC abnormal vehicles can be eliminated, and the ETC processing efficiency at the tollgate can be improved.

Further, for vehicles using a toll road, E
When making TC equipment mandatory, it is expected that a penalty will be imposed when a vehicle without ETC enters a toll road, but by giving advance notice at this time, the penalty as an operator of the toll road will be given. Can be asserted.

Further, when an ETC processing error occurs at a toll booth, data acquired from the introductory unit ETC system 3 is complemented to ensure that toll collection is carried out for ETC-compatible vehicles. , ETC at tollgates
The error rate can be reduced.

Further, on the tollgate ETC system 1 side, ET
If a C processing error occurs and there are many failures that complement the data acquired from the introduction unit ETC system 3 side, the tollgate ETC processing device 20 complements the data to the lane control device 10 to operate ETC. Since the maintenance request control unit 23 automatically issues a maintenance request to the upper system 5 without causing any trouble, the maintenance request can be made to the upper system 5 as soon as possible, and the response to the system failure can be expedited.

Further, if a radio communication error frequently occurs on the introduction unit ETC system 3 side, the lane control device 30 checks the stored abnormality occurrence history and determines the corresponding abnormality occurrence frequency of the abnormality occurrence history in advance. When the frequency exceeds the determined frequency, a maintenance request is automatically sent to the upper system 5, so that the maintenance request can be made to the upper system 5 quickly.
Response to a system failure can be expedited.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, a warning is displayed on the warning display plate 33 for a vehicle not equipped with the ETC to notify the driver of the vehicle or the like, but the warning message may be displayed on the display unit of the vehicle-mounted device 6 or may be displayed on the vehicle. The notification may be made by generating sound from the device 6.

[0085]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is determined whether or not a vehicle heading for a tollgate can perform toll collection processing by wireless communication in front of a tollgate on a toll road. By issuing a warning to prohibit entry to a toll road and eliminating non-ETC vehicles and abnormal ETC vehicles, the effect of improving the efficiency of ETC's original toll collection process can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, the vehicle-side information obtained by the first wireless communication means by wireless communication before the tollgate and the second wireless communication means by wireless communication at the tollgate are obtained. Since the toll collection process is performed for the ETC equipment vehicle based on the information on the vehicle side, the data to be acquired at the tollgate can be supplemented with the data obtained in front of the tollgate, and the ETC equipment that has entered the tollgate The toll collection can be reliably performed on the vehicle, and the toll gate ETC processing error rate can be reduced in operation.

Further, according to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs frequently in the ETC processing at a toll gate, a maintenance request is automatically transmitted to a higher-level system. In addition, it is possible to expedite the response to the system failure while preventing the operation from being hindered.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ETC system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which equipment of an introduction unit ETC system is arranged on an actual road in the ETC system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing operation of an introduction unit ETC system in the ETC system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a data complementing process using the introduction unit ETC-related information in the ETC system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a maintenance request processing operation for the tollgate ETC system in the ETC system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a maintenance request processing operation of the introduction unit ETC system in the ETC system.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tollgate ETC system, 3 ... Introductory part ETC system, 5 ... Host system, 6 ... Onboard equipment, 10 ... Lane control device, 11 ... Vehicle detector, 12 ... Roadside wireless device, 13 ... Roadside display, 14 ... Booth display, 15: Start control device, 16: IC card reader device, 17: Lane monitoring control device, 18: ETC lane display device, 20: Tollgate ETC processing device, 21: ETC system I / F unit , 22 ...
Introduction section ETC system related information control section, 23 maintenance request control section, 30 lane control apparatus, 31 roadside apparatus, 3
2 ... Vehicle detection device, 33 ... Warning display plate.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A wireless communication means which is installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road before a toll gate on a toll road and performs wireless communication with a vehicle passing through a lane toward the toll gate; A warning unit that is installed in the lane change section and warns that the vehicle is prohibited from entering the toll road when wireless communication between the wireless communication unit and the vehicle cannot be performed normally. A toll collection system characterized by: 2. A vehicle which is installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road in front of a toll gate on a toll road, and performs wireless communication with a vehicle passing through the lane toward the toll gate, thereby providing a vehicle side. A first wireless communication unit for acquiring information; and a vehicle-side information acquired by performing wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle entering the toll road, which is installed at a tollgate on the toll road. And a toll booth processing means for performing a toll collection process based on the information on the vehicle side obtained by the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means, respectively. A toll collection system characterized by the following. 3. A vehicle that is installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road before a toll gate on a toll road, and obtained by performing wireless communication with a vehicle passing through the lane toward the toll gate. First wireless communication processing means for performing a process of determining whether or not the vehicle can enter a tollgate based on information on a vehicle side; and wireless communication with a vehicle entering the toll road at the toll road on the toll road. And a second wireless communication processing means for performing a toll collection process based on the information on the vehicle side obtained by performing the processing, and a processing result by the first wireless communication processing means and the second wireless communication processing means as a history. A storage unit for storing, when a processing abnormality occurs in only one of the first wireless communication processing unit and the second wireless communication processing unit, the history of the storage unit is checked, and the frequency of occurrence of the abnormality is determined. Exceeds a preset frequency And a means for making a maintenance request when a request is received. 4. A step of performing wireless communication with a vehicle passing through a lane toward the tollgate in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road, before a tollgate on a toll road; Issuing a warning to prohibit the vehicle from entering the toll road when wireless communication with the vehicle cannot be performed normally. 5. A first wireless communication means installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road in front of a toll gate on a toll road, wirelessly communicates with a vehicle passing through the lane toward the toll gate. And obtaining the information on the vehicle side by performing the above, the second wireless communication means installed in the tollgate of the toll road performs wireless communication with the vehicle entering the toll road, the vehicle side Obtaining information on the vehicle side at the tollgate on the toll road, performing a toll collection process based on the information on the vehicle side obtained by the first wireless communication means and the second wireless communication means, respectively. A fee collection method characterized by having: 6. A first wireless communication processing means installed in a lane change section between a general road and a toll road in front of a toll gate on a toll road wirelessly communicates with a vehicle passing through a lane toward the toll gate. Performing a process of determining whether or not the vehicle can enter a tollgate based on information on the vehicle obtained by performing communication; and a second wireless communication processing unit installed at the tollgate on the toll road Performing a toll collection process based on vehicle-side information obtained by performing wireless communication on a vehicle entering the toll road; and a first wireless communication processing unit and a second wireless communication process. Storing a processing result by the means as a history; and confirming the history when a processing error occurs in only one of the first wireless communication processing means and the second wireless communication processing means. Frequency is a preset frequency And performing a maintenance request when the number exceeds the threshold.