JP2004178104A - Charge receiving device, charge receiving system and charge receiving method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize the efficiency of charge receiving processing by using a pre-paid type IC card. <P>SOLUTION: This charge receiving device reads charge reception control information written in a card, and judges the necessity/non-necessity of at least one of a balance insufficiency warning and use certificate issue based on the read charge reception control information, and carries out processing based on the decision result. Therefore, the necessity/non-necessity of processing is judged based on the charge reception control information written in the card so that the efficiency of charge reception processing can be attained. Also, when a user who has received the balance insufficiency warning accumulates a sum in the card, the conditions that it is impossible to pay a use fee by using the card since the balance of the card is insufficient is avoided. Therefore, it is possible to realize the efficiency of the charge receiving processing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a toll collection device, a toll collection system, and a toll collection method for collecting a usage fee using a card on a toll road or the like, for example.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A toll collection system for collecting tolls using a toll road or the like is used. In the toll collection system, various types of payment methods, such as a prepaid method (prepayment payment method), a postpay method (postpayment payment method), and a credit method (credit payment method), have been used to reduce cash.
As a prepaid toll collection system, a magnetic recording card storing a prepaid amount can be used. Further, in the ETC system, the vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle and the lane control device installed in the toll gate perform wireless communication, so that toll collection can be realized in each of the prepaid system, the postpay system, and the credit system.
[0003]
At the time of such fee collection, a use certificate is issued as required by the user. For example, in a magnetic recording type prepaid card system, a use certificate is automatically issued. If the user does not want to issue the certificate, the user can operate the use certificate unnecessary button to stop issuing the certificate. In the ETC system, a use certificate is issued by using an IC card reader and a printing device (such as a printer) or by performing processing by a person.
The prepaid card of the magnetic recording system is expected to switch to a prepaid card system using an IC card due to a limitation of a recording capacity and the like. There are two types of IC cards: contact type and non-contact type, but it is expected that non-contact type IC cards, which can be read and written simply by holding them over and have improved reliability due to no contact area, will be the mainstream. Is done. For this reason, the development of a toll collection system that issues a use certificate using an IC card is being promoted (see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-20775
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the user does not need to receive a usage certificate or issue a usage certificate on the spot at the time of collection of the fee, the user will have to take extra time. As a result, by adopting a non-contact IC card, the advantage of being able to receive a charge by simply “holding it up” is impaired, and there is a possibility that the convenience for the user is improved and the service time is reduced.
If the remaining amount of the prepaid IC card becomes small, payment by the IC card cannot be performed, and the toll collection processing cannot be performed promptly.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toll collection device and a toll collection system that can improve the efficiency of toll collection processing using a prepaid IC card by increasing the efficiency of issuing a use certificate and ensuring the processing by an IC card. It is intended to provide a system and a toll collection method.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A. In order to achieve the above object, the toll collection device according to the present invention includes a balance that can be used for collecting road usage fees, information on whether or not to issue an underage warning, and information on whether or not to issue a usage certificate. Card reading unit that reads from the card fee collection control information that includes at least one of the usage certificate issuance necessity information indicating whether or not the usage certificate is required, a usage fee calculation unit that calculates a usage fee, and the card reading unit. Based on the balance and the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculation unit, a balance calculation unit that calculates the balance after receiving the usage fee, the balance calculated by the balance calculation unit, and the balance read by the card reading unit. A judging unit for judging whether or not at least one of an under balance warning and a usage certificate issuance is required based on the toll collection control information; A processing unit having at least one of an alarm unit for issuing a warning that the balance is too small when it is determined to be necessary, and a use certificate issuing unit for issuing a use certificate when it is determined that the use certificate is required by the determination unit. , Is provided.
[0007]
Read the charge collection control information (including any of the information on whether the balance is underwarned and the necessity of issuing a usage certificate) written on the card, and, based on the read charge collection control information, issue a warning of the balance being insufficient and issue a usage certificate. At least one of the necessity determination and a process based on the determination result (one of the remaining balance underwarning and the use certificate issuance) are performed. Since the necessity of the process is determined based on the fee collection control information written on the card, the efficiency of the fee collection process is improved. In addition, the user who receives the warning of remaining balance underpaid can add money to the card, thereby avoiding a situation where the card cannot pay the usage fee due to the remaining amount of the card being too small. Processing efficiency is improved.
[0008]
(1) Here, the card reading unit reads from the card a balance underweight warning amount that is a reference for a balance underweight warning, and the determination unit determines the balance underweight warning amount and the balance calculated by the balance calculation unit. May be compared to determine whether or not the remaining amount under warning is necessary.
By comparing the remaining amount under warning amount with the remaining amount calculated by the remaining amount calculation unit, it is possible to reliably determine whether the remaining amount under warning is necessary.
[0009]
(2) The fee collection device further includes an input unit for inputting usage certificate issuance information indicating that a usage certificate is issued, and based on the usage certificate issuance information input from the input unit, The usage certificate issuing unit may issue a usage certificate.
Even if "use certificate unnecessary" is recorded on the card, the use certificate can be issued as needed.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the entire configuration of a toll road toll collection system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the toll collection system 1 includes an entrance system 10 installed at an entrance of a toll road (entrance tollgate), an exit system 20 installed at an exit of a toll road (exit tollgate), The system includes an entrance system 10, an exit system 20, and a host device 40 such as a host computer connected via a communication line 30, and a vehicle is charged using an IC prepaid card (hereinafter referred to as “IC card”) 50. It is possible to collect usage fees when traveling on roads.
[0011]
In the entrance system 10 and the exit system 20, a toll collection device 60 is installed, and the use fee can be paid by the IC card 50. When the usage fee is a fixed amount, the user can pay the usage fee (non-contact) by holding the IC card 50 over the fee collection device 60 installed in the entrance system 10. If the usage fee changes depending on the distance between the entrance tollgate and the exit tollgate, etc., the user holds the IC card 50 over the toll collection device 60 installed in the exit system 20 (in a non-contact manner). You can pay the fee. At the time of these payments, a use certificate is issued and a balance shortage warning is issued as necessary.
The host device 40 performs comprehensive processing based on information from the entrance system 10 and the exit system 20.
[0012]
In addition, an IC card issuing machine 70 that issues the IC card 50 and increases (increases) the amount of money (or an IC card stacking machine 80 that only increases the amount of money) is not a tollgate office or a tollgate (for example, a convenience store). ). The IC card issuing machine 70 and the IC card stacking machine 80 are operated by the user to operate “charge collection control information” such as “whether a usage certificate is required” or “amount under balance warning (basic amount of balance under warning)”. Is input and recorded on the IC card 50.
[0013]
(Internal Configuration of IC Card 50)
The IC card 50 holds information and can record and reproduce (write and read) this information. This recording and reproduction can be performed in a non-contact manner using a radio or the like.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of the IC card 50.
The IC card 50 includes an external interface unit 51, an arithmetic processing unit 52, and a data storage unit 53.
[0014]
The external interface unit 51 has an input / output mechanism for inputting and outputting information to and from the fee collection device 60, the IC card issuing device 70, and the IC card stacking device 80.
The arithmetic processing unit 52 is a so-called central processing unit (Central Processing Unit), and controls processing in the external interface unit 51 and the data storage unit 53.
The data storage unit 53 is a storage (recording) unit such as a memory for storing information.
[0015]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the recorded contents of the data storage unit 53. The data storage unit 53 has recording areas for “issuing information”, “remaining amount information”, “latest use information”, “use history information”, and “toll collection control information”. In FIG. 3, the recording contents are separately classified into (A) to (E) for each recording area for convenience.
The “issuing information” is an area for recording information relating to the issuance of the IC card 50, such as the issuing company, the issuance date, and the serial number (FIG. 3A).
"Remaining balance information" is an area for recording the remaining balance that can be used as a usage fee after subtracting the toll from the deposit amount (FIG. 3B).
The “latest usage information” is an area for recording usage information such as the date of use, the place of use, and the amount of use when the IC card 50 was last used (FIG. 3C).
“Usage history information” is an area for recording information about the use history such as the date of use, the place of use, and the amount of use when the IC card 50 was used before (excluding the last use) (FIG. 3). (D)).
[0016]
The area of “toll collection control information” is divided into areas of “use certificate issuance information” and “underbalance warning information”. “Usage certificate issuance information” includes “Usage certificate issuance necessity” indicating necessity of issuance of a usage certificate, and “print item 1” to “print item 3” indicating necessity of predetermined print items at the time of issuance. This is an area in which information on issuance of a usage certificate such as "" is recorded. Print items corresponding to these items are defined in “print item 1” to “print item 3”, and the presence or absence of printing of these items is recorded as these print items (for example, printing by ON / OFF of the items). Can be used for “print item 1” to “print item 3”). The print items include, for example, (1) only the usage fee (withdrawal amount), (2) the usage fee and the balance, and (3) the usage history after printing the usage history. “Balance underage warning information” relates to balance underage warnings such as “Balance underage warning necessity” indicating the necessity of balance underage warning and “Balance underage warning amount” indicating a reference amount when performing a balance underage warning. This is an area for recording information.
[0017]
The data storage unit 53 can store entrance information such as an entrance interchange (IC) and an entrance lane, and entrance vehicle information such as the date and time of entrance passage and vehicle type, that is, information for the IC card 50 to function as a pass. it can. If the fare is determined by the distance the vehicle has traveled on the road, the entrance information is written into the IC card 50 by the entrance system 10 and the entrance fee recorded by reading the entrance information recorded on the IC card 50 by the exit system 20. Can be calculated.
[0018]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the toll collection device 60.
As shown in the figure, the toll collection unit 60 is composed of a control unit 61, an operation unit 62, a display unit 63, a use certificate issuing unit 64, an IC card reader / writer 65, a buzzer 66, and a toll ticket processing unit 67, Toll collection is performed using any of cash, coupons, and IC card 50.
[0019]
The control unit 61 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 611 as a central processing unit, a memory 612 as a storage unit, an I / O control unit 613 for controlling external devices, and the like, and controls the entire toll collection device 60.
The operation unit 62 is an input device such as a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse for inputting information.
The display unit 63 is a display device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) or an LCD (liquid crystal display) for displaying a collection result, a state of a charge collection unit, and the like.
The usage certificate issuing machine 64 is a printer for issuing a usage certificate to a prepaid card payer (IC card user) or issuing a receipt to a cash payer. And the like.
The IC card reader / writer 65 is a device that reads and writes information in a non-contact manner with the wireless communication of the IC card 50 or the like.
The buzzer 66 is an alarm for notifying an abnormality or the like, and is used at the time of a remaining amount under warning.
The passport processor 67 is a device for processing passports, and is connected only in the case of a system that passes passports at the entrance.
[0020]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the IC card issuing machine 70.
As shown in the figure, the IC card issuing machine 70 includes a control unit 71, an operation unit 72, a display unit 73, an IC card reader / writer 74, an IC card storage unit 75, and a buzzer 76. It has a function of accepting input of “toll collection control information” such as “Issue of issuance of usage certificate”, “amount of remaining amount under warning”, and recording it in IC card 50.
[0021]
The control unit 71 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 711 as a central processing unit, a memory 712 as a storage unit, an I / O control unit 713 for controlling external devices, and the like, and controls the entire IC card issuing machine 70. .
The operation unit 72 is an input device such as a touch panel, a keyboard, and a mouse for inputting information.
The display unit 73 is a display device such as a CRT (cathode ray tube) and an LCD (liquid crystal display) for displaying issuance information and issuance results.
The IC card reader / writer 74 is a device that reads and writes information on the IC card 50.
The IC card storage unit 75 is a storage unit for storing an unissued IC card 50. The IC card 50 is issued by writing necessary information from the IC card storage unit 75 via the IC card reader / writer 74.
The buzzer 76 is an alarm for notifying an abnormality or the like.
The IC card stacker 80 has basically the same structure except that the IC card accumulating unit 75 is not required, and thus the description is omitted.
[0022]
In the following, the recording process of the "charge collection control information" on the IC card 50 in the IC card issuing machine 70 and the fee collection process on the IC card 50 in the fee collection device 60 will be described separately.
[0023]
FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts showing the flow of the process of recording “charge collection control information” on the IC card 50 in the IC card issuing machine 70. 6 and 7 show one flowchart as a whole.
(1) The IC card issuing machine displays a menu showing items such as “IC card issuance”, “addition of money amount”, and “input of toll collection control information” on the display unit 63, and the user operates the operation unit 62. It waits for selection of any item (steps S101, S102).
[0024]
(2) When "input of toll collection control information" is selected by the operation unit 72, submenus such as "use of certificate issuance required" and "warning of remaining balance is necessary" are displayed (step S103). At this time, the charge collection control information may be read from the IC card 50, and the current setting state (state of charge collection control) may be displayed together in the submenu. In this way, the user can check the current setting state and accurately judge whether new setting is necessary.
On the other hand, if "IC card issuance" and "additional amount of money" are selected from the menu, processing corresponding to these items is performed (steps S102 and S104).
[0025]
(3) When "use certificate is required" is selected from the submenu displayed in step S103 by the operation unit 62, a selection waiting screen for "use certificate issuance required" and "use certificate issuance unnecessary" is displayed. (Use certificate issuance necessity selection screen) is displayed (steps S105 and S106).
[0026]
{Circle around (1)} When “use certificate required” is entered from the use certificate issuance necessity selection screen by the operation unit 62, the “use certificate issuance” of “charge collection control information” is sent to the IC card reader / writer 65. "Necessity" is transmitted with "necessary" information and "write request" (steps S107 and S108). The “print item” of the usage certificate is input as necessary, and information representing the selected “print item” is transmitted together with the “necessary” information.
[0027]
{Circle around (2)} On the other hand, when “use certificate unnecessary” is input from the use certificate issue necessity selection screen by the operation unit 62, the “use certificate” of “charge collection control information” is transmitted to the IC card reader / writer 65. The information of "unnecessary" and the "write request" are transmitted to "whether document issuance required" (steps S107 and S109).
[0028]
(4) When "requirement of remaining balance underage warning required" is selected from the submenu displayed in step S103 by the operation unit 62, a selection standby screen for "requirement of remaining balance underage warning" and "requirement of remaining balance underage warning unnecessary" (remaining remaining amount is insufficient) A warning necessity selection screen is displayed (steps S105 and S110).
[0029]
{Circle around (1)} When "remaining underage warning required" is input from the remaining amount underrunning warning necessity selection screen by the operation unit 62, a screen of "waiting for remaining amount underrun warning amount input" is displayed (steps S111 and S112), and the operation unit is operated. When the under balance warning amount is inputted from 62 (step S113), the information of "necessary" of "necessity of under balance warning", the information of "under balance under warning amount", and "write" are sent to the IC card reader / writer. "Request" is transmitted (step S114).
[0030]
{Circle around (2)} On the other hand, when “remaining underage warning unnecessary” is input from the remaining amount underrunning warning necessity selection screen by the operation unit 62, the “remaining amount underrun warning” of “charge collection control information” is sent to the IC card reader / writer 65. The “unnecessary” information “unnecessary” and the “write request” are transmitted (S115).
[0031]
(5) The IC card reader / writer 65 waits for the IC card 50 to approach the communicable area (step S116). If the IC card 50 approaches the communicable area within a predetermined time, the IC card 50 The information “use certificate issuance necessity”, “print item” information, “balance underage warning necessity” information, and “remaining underage warning amount (reference amount)” information is written into 50 (steps S117, S118).
If the non-contact IC card 50 does not approach the communicable area within a predetermined time in step S116, a timeout (elapse of a predetermined time) is displayed (steps S119 and S120), and "continue" or "stop" is performed. Can be selected.
If "continue" is selected from the display of the timeout, the process waits for the IC card 50 to approach the communicable area again (step S116). If "Cancel" is selected from the display of the timeout, the process returns to the sub menu display of step S103.
It should be noted that the flow of the recording process of the "charge collection control information" in the IC card stacking machine 80 is the same as that of the IC card issuing machine 70, and therefore the description is omitted.
[0032]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the fee collection process for the IC card 50 in the fee collection device 60.
(1) When the operation starts, the toll collection device 60 displays a toll collection method selection screen and waits until a toll collection method is selected (step S201).
Here, when the processing of cash or coupons is not selected and the IC card 50 approaches the communication area of the IC card reader / writer 65 (step S202), the information of the IC card 50 is read (step S203). .
A new “remaining amount” is calculated by subtracting the toll from the “remaining amount” read from the IC card 50 (step S204), and the date of use, place of use, amount of use, etc. are edited as new “use history information”. (Step S205), and transmits “remaining amount information”, “latest usage information”, “use history information” and “write request” to the IC card reader / writer 65 (step S206). "Remaining balance information" and "use history information" are updated (step S207). When the writing in step S207 is completed normally, the IC card processing total stored in the toll collection device 60 is updated (step S208).
[0033]
(2) If the “use certificate is necessary” read from the IC card 50 in step S203 is “necessary”, the contents of the use certificate are edited and the use certificate is issued (steps S209 to S209). S211).
If the “use certificate is not required” read out in step S203 is “unnecessary”, “use certificate is not issued” is displayed on the display unit 63, and a “use certificate issuance” button is displayed. Then, by inputting a "use certificate issuance" button on the operation unit 62, the use certificate is edited and issued (steps S210 to S213). That is, even if the “use certificate issuance necessity” of the IC card 50 is “unnecessary”, the use certificate can be issued as needed. Here, if the input of the "use certificate issuance" button is not performed for a predetermined time, the process automatically proceeds to the next step S214. If the user does not need to issue the use certificate, the operation unit 62 is not required. There is no need to input in.
[0034]
(3) “Necessity of remaining balance under-warning” read from IC card 50 in step S203 is “necessary”, and the new remaining amount calculated in step S204 is smaller than “remaining under-budget warning amount” read out in S203. If so, a display to that effect and a buzzer sound are performed (steps S214 and S215), and the process returns to step S201 to display a collection method selection screen.
The above fee collection process is essentially the same for both manned machines operated by the collection staff and automatic machines operated by the user himself.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a toll collection device, a toll collection system, and a toll collection method that can increase the efficiency of toll collection processing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the entire configuration of a toll road toll collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of an IC card.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating recorded contents of a data storage unit of the IC card.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a toll collection device.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an IC card issuing machine.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a part of a flow of a process of recording “charge collection control information” on an IC card in an IC card issuing machine.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a part of a flow of a process of recording “charge collection control information” on an IC card in an IC card issuing machine.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a flow of a fee collection process for the IC card in the fee collection device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toll collection system, 10 ... Entrance system, 20 ... Exit system, 30 ... Communication line, 40 ... Host device, 50 ... IC card, 51 ... External interface unit, 52 ... Operation processing unit, 53 ... Data storage unit, 60 ... toll collection unit, 61 ... control unit, 611 ... CPU, 612 ... memory, 613 ... I / O control unit, 62 ... operation unit, 63 ... display unit, 64 ... use certificate issuing machine, 65 ... card reader / writer , 66 ... buzzer, 67 ... toll ticket processing machine, 70 ... IC card issuing machine, 71 ... control unit, 711 ... CPU, 712 ... memory, 713 ... I / O control unit, 72 ... operation unit, 73 ... display unit, 74: IC card reader / writer, 75: card storage unit, 76: buzzer, 80: IC card stacking machine

Claims (5)

Includes the balance that can be used to collect the usage fee of the road, and at least one of the balance underage warning necessity information indicating the necessity of the balance underrun warning and the usage certificate issuance necessity information indicating the necessity of the use certificate issuance A card reading unit that reads the charge collection control information from the card,
A usage fee calculation unit for calculating a usage fee,
Based on the balance read by the card reading unit and the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculation unit, a balance calculation unit that calculates the balance after receiving the usage fee, and a balance calculated by the balance calculation unit, and A judging unit that judges whether at least one of the remaining balance under warning and the issuance of the use certificate is necessary, based on the toll collection control information read by the card reading unit;
An alarm unit that issues a balance underage warning when the determination unit determines that a balance underage warning is required, and a usage certificate issuing unit that issues a use certificate when the determination unit determines that a use certificate issuance is necessary. And a processing unit having at least one of the following. The card reading unit reads a remaining amount under warning amount as a reference of the remaining amount under warning from the card,
The toll collection device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit compares the amount of remaining balance underrun warning with the amount of balance calculated by the remaining balance calculation unit to determine whether a remaining balance underrun warning is necessary. The fee collection device further includes an input unit for inputting use certificate issuance information indicating that a use certificate is issued,
2. The toll collection device according to claim 1, wherein the usage certificate issuing unit issues a usage certificate based on the usage certificate issuing information input from the input unit. Toll collection that includes at least one of the following information: the necessity of an under-warning warning indicating the necessity of an under-warning warning that warns that the remaining amount is too small and the necessity of issuing a usage certificate that indicates the necessity of issuing a road use certificate. A card writing unit for writing the control information and the information to the card;
A card reading unit that reads, from a card, a balance that can be used for collecting a road usage fee, and toll collection control information that includes at least one of information on whether the balance is underwarned and information on whether a usage certificate is required,
A usage fee calculation unit for calculating a usage fee,
Based on the balance read by the card reading unit and the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculation unit, a balance calculation unit that calculates the balance after receiving the usage fee, and a balance calculated by the balance calculation unit, and A judging unit that judges whether at least one of the remaining balance under warning and the issuance of the use certificate is necessary, based on the toll collection control information read by the card reading unit;
An alarm unit that issues a balance underage warning when the determination unit determines that a balance underage warning is required, and a usage certificate issuing unit that issues a use certificate when the determination unit determines that a use certificate issuance is necessary. And a processing unit having at least one of the following. Toll collection that includes at least one of the following information: the necessity of an under-warning warning indicating the necessity of an under-warning warning that warns that the remaining amount is too small and the necessity of issuing a usage certificate that indicates the necessity of issuing a road use certificate. A card writing step of writing control information to the card;
A card reading step of reading from the card a balance that can be used for collecting the usage fee of the road, and toll collection control information including at least one of the remaining amount underwarning necessity information and the usage certificate issuance necessity information;
A charge calculation step for calculating a charge,
A remaining amount calculating step of calculating a remaining amount after receiving the usage fee, based on the remaining amount read by the card reading unit and the usage fee calculated by the usage fee calculating unit;
A determination step of determining whether or not at least one of a remaining balance shortage warning and a use certificate is issued based on the balance calculated in the balance calculation step and the fee collection control information read in the card reading step;
An alarming step for issuing an underage warning when it is determined in the determining step that an underage warning is required, and a usage certificate issuing step for issuing a usage certificate when it is determined in the determination step that the use certificate is required. A processing step having at least one of:
A fee collection method characterized by comprising:

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