JP2004310666A - On-vehicle automatic charge collecting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely inform the driver of the confirmed communication contents such as charges, etc. with a roadside device, a state of an on-vehicle unit and the battery power, etc. without being restricted for the installation location when an automatic charge collecting system is applied to a two-wheeled vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The system is provided with the on-vehicle unit 1 which is installed in the helmet 12 worn by the driver and performs radio communication for automatic charge collection with the roadside device 15, a speaker 6 which is attached to the helmet 12 and transmits the information regarding the operation of the on-vehicle unit 1 or automatic charge collection by voice guide and an automatic charge collecting operation changeover switch 9 which switches start, stop of the automatic charge collecting operation of the on-vehicle unit 1. An automatic charge collecting operation is started by turning on a jaw tie switch for connecting the jaw tie 13 of the helmet 12 to the switch 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic toll collection (ETC: Electronic Toll Collection) in-vehicle system that automatically performs toll collection by performing wireless communication with a roadside device provided at a tollgate on a toll road such as an expressway. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic toll collection vehicle system suitable for application to a motorcycle that can travel on a toll road such as an expressway.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, an automatic toll collection system for completing toll collection on a toll road such as an expressway by wireless communication has been implemented. An ETC on-vehicle device (hereinafter referred to as an on-vehicle device) for automatic toll collection installed in a vehicle is provided with an IC card attaching / detaching device so that an IC card is inserted and toll collection is performed with a roadside device. It has become. By mounting such an in-vehicle device on a vehicle, it is possible to pass through a tollgate without stopping, so that congestion at the tollgate is expected to be reduced (see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-227976 A
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, there is a problem when such an in-vehicle device is applied to a two-wheeled vehicle capable of traveling on a toll road. As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle-mounted device is provided with an IC card insertion slot 102, an LCD display 103, a status indicator 104, and the like in a housing 101 slightly larger than an IC card, and is small as a whole. Therefore, in the case of a four-wheeled vehicle, visibility can be ensured by arranging it on a dashboard that has a large space and is relatively easy to see, but in the case of a two-wheeled vehicle, it is installed in the limited space of the meter panel on the steering wheel. It is difficult to find a space to install.
[0005]
Further, the in-vehicle device itself may be arranged in a smaller size, but on the contrary, there is a problem that it is difficult to ensure visibility. Furthermore, since it is difficult to ensure visibility, there is an inconvenience that it is not possible to clearly notify the driver of the state of the vehicle-mounted device, the display of the fee and the like by communication with the roadside device, the remaining amount of the battery, and the like.
[0006]
In addition, the size of the battery for the power supply of the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the motorcycle is inevitably required to be reduced in size, and appropriate measures such as reducing the power consumption during periods other than the automatic toll collection operation are required to suppress the early consumption of the battery. Required.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in the case where the automatic toll collection device is applied to a motorcycle, it is not limited to an installation place, and confirmation of communication contents such as a fee with a roadside device, state of the onboard device It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic toll collection in-vehicle system that can surely inform the driver of the remaining battery level and the like. It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic toll collection vehicle system that can suppress battery consumption when it is not necessary.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The on-board automatic toll collection system according to claim 1 is mounted on a helmet worn by a vehicle occupant, and is mounted on the helmet with an on-board automatic toll collection unit for performing wireless communication for automatic toll collection with a roadside device. And a speaker that conveys information on the operation of the automatic toll collection device or the automatic toll collection by a voice guide.
[0009]
According to the above configuration, by installing the on-board automatic toll collection device on the helmet, it is possible to avoid being attached to the motorcycle itself, which has a limited installation space, and by providing the speaker, the state of the on-board automatic toll collection device, the roadside It is possible to accurately notify the driver who is the vehicle occupant of the display of the fee, the remaining amount of the battery, and the like by communication with the device.
[0010]
The automatic toll collection vehicle-mounted system according to claim 2 is the automatic toll collection vehicle-mounted system according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic toll collection operation switch for starting and stopping the automatic toll collection operation of the automatic toll collection unit. .
[0011]
According to the above configuration, the provision of the automatic toll collection operation changeover switch makes it possible to switch the start and stop of the vehicle-mounted device, so that the consumption of the battery when it is not necessary can be suppressed.
[0012]
The automatic toll collection on-vehicle system according to claim 3 is the automatic toll collection on-vehicle system according to claim 1, which is turned on by connecting a chin string of the helmet, and a chin string switch that enables the activation of the automatic toll collection operation. Prepare.
[0013]
According to the above configuration, the provision of the chin string switch enables the switching between the start and the stop of the vehicle-mounted device, so that the consumption of the battery other than when the helmet is worn can be suppressed. In addition, since the start and stop of the vehicle-mounted device can be linked to the operation of connecting the chin strap when the helmet is attached, the vehicle-mounted device can be reliably started during driving.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an on-board automatic toll collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an automatic toll collection vehicle-mounted device (hereinafter, referred to as a vehicle-mounted device) 1 is, for example, a motorcycle-dedicated component that can be inserted into a helmet. The antenna 2 is used for wirelessly communicating information with a roadside device for toll collection installed at a tollgate in a toll road. The wireless unit 3 is used for exchanging information with the roadside device via the antenna 2. The IC card insertion unit 4 is provided for attaching and detaching an IC card for automatic fee collection.
[0015]
The control unit 5 controls the wireless unit 3, controls reading and writing of the IC card inserted into the IC card insertion unit 4, and further controls output to a pilot lamp 7 including a speaker 6 and an LED. The rechargeable battery 8 supplies electric power to the vehicle-mounted device 1 through the automatic toll collection operation changeover switch 9 and the chin switch 10 of the helmet. A solar battery 11 is connected in parallel to the rechargeable battery 8 and functions so as to constantly supplement the power consumption of the rechargeable battery 8.
[0016]
The speaker 6, the pilot lamp 7, the rechargeable battery 8 and the solar battery 11 are installed on the helmet together with the vehicle-mounted device 1. Under the control of the control unit 5, the speaker 6 functions to notify the operation of the vehicle-mounted device 1 or information relating to automatic toll collection by a voice guide. The pilot lamp 7 is provided near a mounting portion between the helmet and the sun visor and does not hinder the driver's line of sight, and is turned on with illuminance that does not hinder driving. The lighting colors are green, red (orange), and no light. Green indicates that the automatic toll collection system is available (card and battery are normal), and red indicates that the automatic toll collection system is unavailable ( Card abnormal, card not inserted, etc.), the non-lighted color indicates that the mode is not the automatic toll collection mode, the battery exhaustion, and the like. The tollgate roadside device 15 is provided with a tollgate system 16 and an antenna 17.
[0017]
The automatic toll collection operation changeover switch 9 is a switch that is turned on by the driver when the automatic toll collection operation mode is set. The chin string switch 10 is a switch that is turned on when the chin string of the helmet is tied or fastened in the automatic toll collection operation mode. When the chin string switch 10 is turned on, the automatic toll collection operation mode can be entered on condition that the automatic toll collection operation switch 9 is on. Accordingly, by removing the chin strap, the automatic toll collection operation mode is released, and the vehicle-mounted device is in a non-operation state.
[0018]
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the helmet 12 equipped with the automatic toll collection system. The helmet 12 includes a vehicle-mounted device 1, an antenna 2, a speaker 6, a pilot lamp 7, a rechargeable battery 8, a solar battery 11, and an automatic toll collection operation changeover switch 9 in the helmet body. The antenna 2 and the solar cell 11 are provided so as to face substantially the outer surface of the top of the helmet body, and are capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves and receiving sunlight. The on-vehicle device 1 and the rechargeable battery 8 are housed on the outer surface or in the thickness of the rear portion of the helmet 12 so as not to be directly exposed to external interference or wind and rain. The speaker 6 is provided in the helmet 12 at a position corresponding to the ear of the driver wearing the helmet 12. The chin strap switch 10 includes electrical contacts 10a and 10b attached to ends of a pair of left and right chin straps 13 of the helmet 12, and is turned on by contacting each other when the chin strap 13 is connected or tightened.
[0019]
A known slide-type on / off switch is used as the automatic toll collection operation changeover switch 9, and is provided so as to face the outer surface of the side of the helmet so that it can be operated externally. An IC card insertion slot 14 for inserting a small IC card into the IC card insertion portion 4 is provided on the outer surface of the helmet 12 near the automatic toll collection switch 9.
[0020]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the conceptual diagram of the automatic toll collection system of FIG. First, when the motorcycle is driven on a toll road, the driver inserts the IC card 18 into the IC card insertion slot 14 and turns on the automatic toll collection operation switch 9. When the motorcycle of the driver wearing the helmet 12 approaches the entrance tollgate, the radio wave transmitted from the tollgate system 16 of the roadside device 15 via the antenna 17 is received by the antenna 2 on the helmet 12. Thus, communication is started between the tollgate system 16 and the wireless unit 3 on the helmet 12 side. At this time, assuming that the automatic toll collection operation changeover switch 9 is on and the chin string switch 10 is on, the pilot lamp 7 lights up in green, indicating that communication for the automatic toll collection operation is possible. Is done.
[0021]
Further, when the IC card 18 is not inserted into the IC card insertion slot 14 or when the insertion is not performed correctly, the pilot lamp 7 lights up in red, and the normal insertion of the IC card 18 is prompted. At this time, it is notified by a voice message through the speaker 6 that the IC card 18 is not properly inserted and that the automatic toll collection operation is impossible. When the pilot lamp 7 is red or no light, the automatic toll collection operation is not possible and the toll collection service cannot be received, so the driver must stop at the entrance toll booth and receive a toll ticket. become. Also, the vehicle-mounted device 1 notifies the driver of the state of the vehicle-mounted device 1 and the remaining amount of the rechargeable battery 8 by a voice message through a speaker.
[0022]
On the other hand, when the automatic toll collection switch 9 and the chin string switch 10 are kept on and the IC card 18 is correctly inserted into the IC card insertion hole 14 and wireless communication is performed, the system information is transmitted from the roadside device 15. Is received by the wireless unit 3 via the antennas 17 and 2. The wireless unit 3 transmits IC card information stored in a memory inside the IC card 18, for example, vehicle information such as a vehicle type, valid / invalid information of the IC card 18, and settlement information to the roadside device 15.
[0023]
When the motorcycle continues to travel on the toll road and approaches the exit tollgate, the radio wave transmitted from the antenna 17 of the roadside device 15 is received by the antenna 2 of the vehicle-mounted device 1 and communicates between the wireless unit 3 and the roadside device 15. Is started. The wireless unit 3 transmits the IC card information to the roadside device 15. The roadside device 15 receives the information, reads the IC card information, and processes the IC card information for information for settlement, for example, "Toll is XX yen", "Please stop", etc. Is transmitted to the wireless unit 3 through the antennas 17 and 2. For this reason, information for settlement is recorded on the IC card 18, and the voice guide and other notification information are output through the speaker 6. Therefore, the driver can accurately confirm the information by voice message instead of visually.
[0024]
If payment by the IC card 18 is not possible with the roadside device 15, the roadside device 15 displays a warning on the roadside display panel, photographs the passing vehicle, and pays the wireless unit 3. Sends information that is incomplete. At this time, the vehicle-mounted device 1 informs the driver of the fact that the fee has not been paid or that the settlement has failed through a voice message to the driver through the speaker 6 based on the transmission information. For this reason, the driver stops temporarily at the exit tollgate and pays the fare.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, by installing the automatic toll collection device on the helmet, it is possible to avoid insertion into the motorcycle itself, which has a limited installation space, and to provide the automatic toll collection device with the speaker. It is possible to accurately inform the driver who is the vehicle occupant of the state of the vehicle-mounted device, the display of the fee by communication with the roadside device, the remaining amount of the battery, and the like.
[0026]
Further, by providing the automatic toll collection operation changeover switch, it is possible to switch the start and stop of the vehicle-mounted device, and it is possible to suppress the consumption of the battery when it is not necessary. Further, since the start and stop of the vehicle-mounted device can be switched by providing the chin string switch, consumption of the battery other than when the helmet is mounted can be suppressed. In addition, since the start and stop of the vehicle-mounted device can be linked to the operation of connecting the chin strap when the helmet is attached, the vehicle-mounted device can be reliably started during driving.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an automatic toll collection vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a helmet equipped with an automatic toll collection vehicle-mounted system.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram conceptually showing an automatic toll collection system including the in-vehicle automatic toll collection system of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front view conceptually showing the appearance of the on-board automatic toll collection device.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Onboard equipment 6 Speaker 7 Pilot lamp 8 Rechargeable battery 9 Automatic toll collection operation changeover switch 10 Chisel string switch 11 Solar cell 12 Helmet 13 Chisel string

Claims (4)

An automatic toll collection vehicle-mounted device that is installed on a helmet worn by a vehicle occupant and performs wireless communication for automatic toll collection with a roadside device;
A speaker attached to the helmet and transmitting information on the operation of the automatic toll collection device or the automatic toll collection by a voice guide,
An automatic toll collection system equipped with 2. The automatic toll collection system according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic toll collection operation changeover switch for starting and stopping the automatic toll collection operation of the automatic toll collection unit. The on-board automatic toll collection system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a chin string switch that is turned on by connecting the helmet of the helmet and enables the activation of the automatic toll collection operation. A helmet comprising the in-vehicle automatic toll collection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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