JP2005100397A - Automatic headset toll collection mechanism using mobile communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic handset toll collection mechanism using a mobile communication system. <P>SOLUTION: This automatic handset toll collection mechanism comprises: a step for determining a toll collection method for determining the corresponding relationship between the toll to be paid and the moving distance of a vehicle; a step for executing a mobility management mechanism for the mobile communication system in accordance with the toll collection method to determine a plurality of registration areas of the mobile communication system wherein the high way is located within the coverage of the registration areas; a step for executing a location update procedure when the vehicle moves from a first location which is within a first registration area to a second location which is within a second registration area, wherein each of the first and the second registration areas is one of the plurality of registration areas; a step for recording updated data representing the movement of the vehicle by executing the location update procedure; and a step for determining a toll to be paid in accordance with the updated data and the toll collection method. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic handset toll collection system, and more particularly to an automatic handset toll collection system using a mobile communication system.

  A highway equipped with a conventional toll collection system has toll gates installed at appropriate intervals, and collects tolls from vehicles passing through the toll gate by an artificial method. However, this artificial method has several drawbacks such as high labor costs, safety problems, and impact on the moving speed of the vehicle. Therefore, an automatic toll collection system using electronic devices is not available. There was a strong demand.

  Conventional automatic toll collection systems generally have the following methods. The first method is to charge a toll by recording the driving route and the number of miles of a vehicle using a global positioning system (GPS) mounted on the vehicle. In the second method, a plurality of image capturing devices such as cameras and video recording devices are installed at predetermined positions, a computer records the number plate of the traveling vehicle captured by the image capturing device, and is read by this computer. This is a method of charging a vehicle toll based on the obtained data. However, with this method, the image capture device must meet high accuracy requirements in order to make the computer reading clearer so that the intense movements that occur due to the high speed of the vehicle traveling on the highway can be captured. There was at least the disadvantage of having to. Such a high-accuracy image capturing device is expensive. Further, since the number plate of the vehicle is generally attached at a low position, it is not only easily disturbed by other traveling vehicles, but it is also difficult to capture a clear image. Old vehicle license plates can also be dirty or damaged, making them more difficult to read by computers. In the third method, an on-board unit (OBU) or a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) is mounted in the vehicle, or at least one of the short-range communication transceiver device and the IC card is mounted in the vehicle. It is a method to mount on. However, this method also has a problem that the cost of hardware required separately is high, and a problem occurs that a signal captured from a vehicle moving at high speed is distorted. The fourth method is a method in which an identification tag (ID tag) is installed at a fixed position of each vehicle, and an identification tag reading device is provided at a toll gate. When the vehicle passes through the toll gate, an identification tag provided at a predetermined position of each vehicle is read and used as a basis for toll billing. However, this method also has several disadvantages such as the hardware installation cost is too high, the identification tag needs to be updated regularly, and the license plate of a vehicle traveling at high speed is difficult to identify. there were.

  In summary, most of the conventional highway electronic toll collection systems require additional hardware, which is expensive and difficult to disseminate, limiting the effects achieved by electronic devices. Therefore, the accuracy was also insufficient.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic handset toll collection mechanism that uses a function provided by a mobile communication system, which can save the cost for installation and maintenance of separately required hardware.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic handset toll collection mechanism that can achieve better accuracy and effectiveness than conventional systems.

  To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an automatic handset toll collection mechanism using a mobile communication system. The present invention includes the following steps. Determining a toll collection method for determining the correspondence between the toll charged and the travel distance of the vehicle. A step of determining a plurality of registration areas of the mobile communication system by executing a mobility management mechanism of the mobile communication system according to a toll collection method, wherein the highway is within the registration area. When the vehicle moves from a first position in the first registration area to a second position in the second registration area, a position update is performed, where the first registration area and the second registration area are: A step that is one registered area of the registered areas. A step of executing position update operation and recording update data indicating movement of the vehicle. And determining a toll to be charged by the update data and toll collection method.

  The automatic handset toll collection mechanism of the present invention can save the cost of hardware installation and maintenance required separately, and can achieve accuracy and effect superior to conventional systems.

  The above-described objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by the preferred embodiments of the present invention based on the following attached drawings.

  The embodiment disclosed by the present invention is an automatic handset toll collection system using a mobile communication system by a service that provides an intelligent network such as a GSM, GPRS or 3G system. For detailed information on IMT-2000 3G mobile communication system, refer to “Network Node for IMT-2000” published in FUJITSU Sci.Tech., P.160-p.166, Dec.2002. For detailed information on GSM mobile communication systems, John Scourias published it on his website and last updated on March 29, 1999, “Overview of the Global System for Mobile Communication” (http: // ccnga. See uwaterloo.ca/~jscouria/GSM/index.html).

  FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a prior art GSM mobile communication system. The range covered by the entire mobile communication system is divided into a plurality of cells, and each cell includes one or more base stations for operation. A subscriber of a mobile communication system in a cell can register with the mobile communication system by transmitting information to the base station and communicate with another subscriber in the communication system via the base station. The range and shape of each cell can include, for example, base station power, cell location (city center, city, suburbs, etc.), geographic features within the cell (mountains, rivers, etc.) or specific structures (high-rise buildings). , Highway, railway, etc.). One or more cells can each be combined with a location area (LA). The term location area is specifically used in GSM mobile communication systems, but the term is used in other mobile communication systems for paging area, routing area or registration area. Also known as For example, location areas are commonly used in GSM communication systems and routing areas are used in GPRS communication systems. The registration area and the paging area are used in many general communication systems. However, even if the names are different, if they are skilled in the art, they should understand that what they mean is substantially the same. Also, for example, when moving beyond the boundary of a location area (routing area or registration area), an update message is required and the mobile station is paged to the current location area (routing area or registration area). In this embodiment, since the GSM mobile communication system is used, the term location area is used. However, the present invention is not limited to use only with GSM mobile communication systems. Basically, in order to provide a necessary mobile communication service for each subscriber, the mobile communication system needs to know the approximate location of each subscriber. Therefore, as each subscriber's location moves from one location area to another, location updates are automatically performed and location update data can be stored in, for example, a subscriber's location in the mobile communication system. It is stored in a database such as a location register (HLR) or a visitor location register (VLR). Each subscriber's location information is stored in a home location register or visitor location register in the form of a mobile station roaming number (MSRN). The system pages the subscriber using the mobile station roaming number directly as the updated location information for each subscriber. As described above, when the GSM mobile subscriber moves from one location area to another, the location information updated by the system is called location update. For more information on the location update mechanism, see “Reducing Location Update and Paging Costs in a PCS Network” in IEEE Transactions On Wireless Communications, VOL.1, No.1, Jan. 2002.

  In addition, the current mobile communication system includes an intelligent network, and can provide other service functions other than the telephone service. Subscribers can immediately receive a variety of services such as wireless internet, product purchases, or payments by simply pressing a special function key. Current mobile communication systems with intelligent networks can provide a rich service to subscribers. Currently, most drivers carry a mobile phone that accesses a conventional mobile communication system with an intelligent network when driving. Therefore, an automatic highway toll collection function can be obtained using an intelligent network provided by the mobile communication system.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an automatic telephone receiver toll collection system using a mobile communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, in step 202, when the vehicle wants to enter the expressway, the automatic handset toll collection mechanism of this embodiment is activated. When the vehicle enters the highway from the interchange, the user presses the special function key of the handset to notify the mobile communication system and activates the toll collection function of this embodiment. The system then automatically stores the starting point of the vehicle. Alternatively, when the image recognition device installed at each interchange on the expressway recognizes the license plate of each vehicle that entered the expressway, the system automatically queries the license plate and vehicle start point, and The vehicle registration information and the subscriber information of the mobile communication system are compared and connected.

  Subsequently, in step 204, the mobile communication system updates the position based on the position movement of the vehicle. When viewed from the mobile communication system, the state in which the vehicle is traveling on the highway is the same as the position movement of the system subscriber. When a subscriber moves from one location area to another, the system performs a location update operation to update the subscriber's location information. The newly updated position information is stored in the home location register or visitor location register. Therefore, the driving route and the number of miles of the vehicle can be known using the updated position information stored in the home location register or the visitor location register. In general, the distance between highway interchanges is much larger than the area covered by the location area. In addition, location update information provides only a rough location and travel route for each subscriber, but in general the road network does not include very complicated sideways or branch roads, so vehicles move on the highway. It is accurate enough to be used as route and mileage information.

  Finally, in step 206, when the vehicle leaves the highway, a notification is sent to the automatic communication system to determine a toll to charge based on the location update data. When the vehicle exits from the exit, the user inputs a special function key with the handset and notifies the mobile communication system to activate the toll collection function. Next, the system automatically refers to the mobile subscriber's location update information stored while the vehicle is traveling on the highway, where the location update information of the mobile subscriber includes the number of location updates and the location. The location where the update was made is included. This system determines the toll to be charged to the vehicle based on a predetermined toll collection mechanism such as, for example, which section or position of the highway the vehicle is charged for. Alternatively, if the image recognition device installed at each interchange on the expressway is used to recognize the license plate of each vehicle that exits the expressway, the system automatically refers to information about the vehicle's license plate and starting point. The vehicle registration information of the vehicle management station and the subscriber information of the mobile communication system are compared and linked.

  Since the intelligent network of the mobile communication system has a very high security, the privacy of the subscriber can be sufficiently protected. Thus, the costs described above can be combined with a conventional mobile communication system billing system such as a telephone bill or an online credit card billing system. In addition, when combined with the conventional authentication system of subscribers, it becomes convenient to make the traditional billing system a toll billing platform, and to provide a separate toll billing system with safety, confidentiality and reliability. No cost is required.

  Next, another preferred embodiment of the present invention will be shown. First, it knows which road section or position the vehicle is traveling on the highway with the best solution to collect tolls. The parameters included in the mobility management system of the mobile communication system are the basis of the toll collection method. The mobility management system is for determining a configuration method of the entire system. For example, the number of cells required for the overall system, the range and position of each cell, and in which location area each cell is divided. It should be noted that the mobility management system not only considers the function of the system itself, but also, for example, within the area covered by the overall system, geographical features and buildings, and even within the area. Various factors that exist in the real world, such as subscriber movement patterns, must also be considered. In addition, the above elements are not independent of each other, and most of them influence each other. For example, the movement patterns of subscribers in the city center and suburbs are different, or even in the same region. It has characteristics such as changing the movement pattern of the subscriber. For this reason, in order to reduce the cost of installing, updating and maintaining other additional hardware, the mobility management system achieves optimization of mobility management in consideration of many complicated situations. For a detailed explanation of mobility management, see US Patent Application No. 10 / 369,678, filed February 21, 2003, “SYSTEM FOR CONSTRUCTING A MOBILITY MODEL FOR USE IN MOBILITY MANAGEMENT IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEROF”. Is disclosed.

  FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram illustrating an automatic handset toll collection system using a mobile communication system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. If necessary, this information is used as a parameter of the mobility management system of the mobile communication system when determining which road section or position of the expressway the virtual toll booth is to be provided. In other words, when determining the location and range of a location area, the boundary of the corresponding location area is set based on the location of each virtual toll booth, and further, the location corresponding to the location of each interchange on the expressway Create area boundaries. However, here, there is a condition that the density of the location area must be higher or at least equivalent to the density of the virtual toll booth. Thus, a vehicle entering a highway from an interchange, passing through each virtual tollgate on the highway and exiting the interchange again indicates a subscriber who is continuously moving from one location area to another. The system then automatically updates the subscriber's location, and the subscriber's location information is stored in the system's home location register or visitor location register. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, when a vehicle enters the highway, it does not need to be registered when the vehicle enters the highway because it enters beyond the boundaries of the precisely established location area. . Therefore, since the system updates the location of the subscriber, it can be known that the vehicle is already traveling on the highway. Therefore, the above-mentioned automatic toll collection method can easily refer to the number and position of the subscriber's location update stored in the home location register or visitor location register to know the toll charged for the current trip. be able to. Therefore, the complexity of the system can be minimized.

  It should be noted here that the automatic handset toll collection mechanism using the conventional mobile communication system provided in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the conventional one in order to achieve better performance. It can be combined with human operation or another automatic toll collection system.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed as described above, but these are not intended to limit the present invention in any way, and anyone who is familiar with the technology can use various embodiments within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Changes and modifications can be made. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is based on the contents specified in the claims.

It is the schematic which shows the conventional mobile communication system. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an automatic telephone handset toll collection system using a mobile communication system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an automatic telephone handset toll collection system using a mobile communication system according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (8)

An automatic toll collection mechanism having an automatic handset toll collection mechanism using a mobile communication system installed in a vehicle, wherein the range of the mobile communication system is divided into a plurality of registration areas,
The position is updated when the vehicle moves from the first position in the first registration area to the second position in the second registration area, and both the first registration area and the second registration area are registered. One of the areas,
Record update data generated by execution of the position update indicating movement of the vehicle;
An automatic toll collection mechanism that determines a toll to be charged based on the update data.   Transmitting information to the mobile communication system via a handset or when the vehicle moves from the first position in the first registration area to the second position in the second registration area; 2. The automatic toll collection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the automatic toll collection mechanism operates when renewal is performed. An automatic toll collection mechanism applied to a highway within the range of the mobile communication system,
Determining a toll collection method for determining the correspondence between the toll charged and the travel distance of the vehicle traveling on the expressway;
The automatic toll collection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a mobility management mechanism is executed to determine the number of the registration areas, the position of the registration areas, and the range of the registration areas of the mobile communication system.   The automatic toll collection mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication system includes an intelligent network that determines the toll to be charged and a charging mechanism to charge the toll.   The automatic toll of claim 1, wherein the intelligent network determines a toll charged by the updated data stored in at least one of a home location register and a visitor location register of the mobile communication system. Toll collection mechanism. An automatic handset toll collection mechanism having a handset device capable of communicating with a mobile communication system installed in a vehicle, wherein the range of the mobile communication system is divided into a plurality of registration areas,
The position is updated when the vehicle moves from the first position in the first registration area to the second position in the second registration area, and both the first registration area and the second registration area are registered. One of the areas,
An automatic handset toll collection mechanism, wherein a toll fee to be charged is determined according to how many times the position is updated when the vehicle moves. An automatic handset toll collection system applied to a highway within the range of the automatic communication system,
Determining a toll collection method for determining a correspondence relationship between the toll to be charged and a moving distance of the vehicle traveling on the expressway;
The vehicle when the vehicle enters or exits the expressway in accordance with the toll collection system based on the number of the registration areas of the mobile communication system, the location of the registration areas, and the range of the registration areas Setting a network plan to be executed by moving from the first location in the first registration area to the second location in the second registration area;
Recording the update data generated by executing the position update and indicating movement of the vehicle;
The automatic handset toll collection mechanism according to claim 6, further comprising: The handset is a mobile phone or a wireless personal digital assistant (wireless PDA), and the mobile communication system includes GSM system, GPRS system, 3G system, PHS system, CDMA system, WCDMA system, CDMA2000 system, wireless LAN, 4G system. Select at least one from the group
The registration area is a paging area. When the mobile communication system is a GSM mobile communication system, the registration area is a location area. When the mobile communication system is a GPRS mobile communication system, the registration area is a route area. 7. The automatic handset toll collection mechanism according to claim 6, wherein when the mobile communication system is a 3G mobile communication system, the registration area is a cell area.

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