JP2006190160A - In-vehicle unit communicating with roadside machine and recording communication result in external storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent induction of extraction of an external storage medium by a user even when a writing failure into an IC card occurs, in an in-vehicle ETC unit. <P>SOLUTION: When the in-vehicle ETC unit 1 fails in writing of a communication result into the IC card, the in-vehicle ETC unit 1 turns on a writing failure flag. Thereafter, when the writing failure flag is turned on (refer to step 170) in the case of presence of extraction of the card or engine OFF (steps 140, 150), error notification related to the external storage medium is performed, and notification of prompting to next come into a gate of manual payment is first performed (step 190). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle-mounted device that communicates with a roadside device and records a communication result in an external storage medium, and is suitable for use in a vehicle-mounted device for an automatic toll collection system.

  Conventionally, using communication conforming to the DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) standard, it communicates with the ETC processing equipment at the entrance gate and exit gate of the toll road, while passing through the entrance gate and exit gate non-stop An ETC (Electronic Toll Collection: automatic fee collection system) for entering, leaving, and paying fees has been put into practical use (for example, see Patent Document 1). An IC card called an ETC card can be inserted into an ETC vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle for this ETC. When the ETC vehicle-mounted device communicates with an ETC processing device, The exchanged data is written on the inserted IC card.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of ETC communication (communication with an ETC processing apparatus for ETC) in a conventional ETC on-vehicle device. As shown in this figure, the ETC on-board device succeeds in communication with the ETC processing device (step 210), and when the communication result data by the SAM (Secure Application Module) is successfully written to the IC card (step 230). ) The communication result is notified to a user such as a vehicle driver (step 240). Further, when the ETC on-board unit fails in ETC communication with the ETC processing device (step 210), the ETC on-board unit immediately notifies the user that a communication error has occurred (step 250), and fails to write data to the IC card (step 250). 230) Immediately notify the user that there was a write error (step 260). Note that the SAM writes and holds the communication result data written to the IC card in a volatile storage medium such as a RAM included in the SAM.
JP 2000-132717 A

  In order to promptly notify the user that the writing has failed, the ETC in-vehicle device that immediately notifies the user of the writing failure to the IC card as described above, and to urge attention not to go to the ETC gate at the next toll gate Is effective, but also has the effect of inducing IC card removal by the user.

  When a vehicle equipped with such an ETC on-board unit passes through an entrance toll gate equipped with an ETC processor, even if writing to the IC card fails, there is no subsequent removal of the IC card or turning off the vehicle engine. Since the communication result data at the entrance toll gate remains in the volatile storage medium inside the ETC on-board device, the communication result at the entrance toll gate can be transmitted from the ETC on-board device to the ETC processing device at the exit toll gate.

  However, if the user pulls out the IC card due to the above write failure notification, the ETC on-board unit erases the communication result data written in the volatile storage medium for security reasons. The communication result at the entrance toll gate cannot be transmitted at the station, and as a result, the start controller at the exit toll gate does not open.

  Such a problem does not occur only in the ETC vehicle-mounted device. For example, communication is performed with a roadside device, and data of the communication result is written to an external storage medium such as an IC card and an internal storage medium such as a RAM to be used for communication with a subsequent roadside device. When the user performs a predetermined operation such as turning off the power or removing the external storage medium, the above-described problem may occur even in the vehicle-mounted device that erases the data of the communication result in the internal storage medium.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention communicates with a roadside device, and uses the communication result data as a removable external storage medium such as an IC card and an internal storage such as a RAM for use in communication with a subsequent roadside device. Even if there is a failure to write to the external storage medium in the in-vehicle device that erases the communication result data in the internal storage medium when there is a user's predetermined operation when writing to the medium, The purpose is to avoid inducing an operation that leads to erasure of the data of the communication result.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first feature of the present invention is that an internal storage medium and a portable external storage medium are detachably mounted, and data is written to and read from the mounted external storage medium. An interface device that performs communication with a roadside device, and writes data of a communication result of the communication device with the roadside device to an external storage medium and an internal storage medium that are attached to the interface device. If there is an operation, the in-vehicle device that erases the data of the communication result in the internal storage medium, after writing to the external storage medium fails, notifies the error notification regarding the external storage medium of the predetermined operation. It is the first thing to do after there is at least one.

  In this way, even if there is a failure in writing to the external storage medium, the in-vehicle device can be used by the user in order to delete the data of the communication result in the internal storage medium after the failure of writing. The error notification regarding the external storage medium is not performed until the operation is performed, and the notification is performed only after there is at least one of the predetermined operations. Until the data is erased, it is possible to prevent the user from inducing an operation that leads to erasure of the data of the communication result in the internal storage medium.

  Further, one of the predetermined operations may be removal of the external storage medium from the interface device. In this way, even when there is a failure in writing to the external storage medium, the vehicle-mounted device performs error notification regarding the external storage medium until there is removal of the external storage medium after the failure in writing. Since the notification is made for the first time after the removal, the user does not induce the removal of the external storage medium until the data in the internal storage medium is erased by the removal. be able to.

  In addition, the second feature of the present invention is an interface device in which an internal storage medium and a portable external storage medium are detachably mounted and data is written to and read from the mounted external storage medium, A communication device that communicates with the roadside device, and writes data of a communication result of the communication device with the roadside device to an external storage medium and an internal storage medium attached to the interface device. An in-vehicle device that erases communication result data in a storage medium performs notification to suppress at least one of the predetermined operations after writing to the external storage medium fails. That is.

  With this configuration, the vehicle-mounted device can perform an active operation for suppressing at least one of the predetermined operations when there is a failure in writing to the external storage medium.

  Further, if one of the predetermined operations is removal of the external storage medium from the interface device, the vehicle-mounted device removes the external storage medium from the interface device after writing to the external storage medium has failed. You may come to perform the notification for suppressing. With this configuration, the vehicle-mounted device can perform an active operation for suppressing removal of the external storage medium by the user when there is a failure in writing to the external storage medium.

  In the second feature, the vehicle-mounted device further performs error notification regarding the external storage medium after the user's predetermined operation is performed after writing to the external storage medium fails. Also good. In this way, the user receives an error notification regarding the external storage medium after receiving a notification for suppressing at least one of the predetermined operations, so that the user's external storage medium You can strengthen your awareness.

  In more detail, in the first and second features, when the in-vehicle device turns on the write failure flag based on the failure of writing to the external storage medium and the user performs a predetermined operation. The error notification regarding the external storage medium may be performed based on the fact that the write failure flag is on.

  If the OBE is an on-board device for an automatic toll collection system that communicates with the roadside device at the gate of the automatic toll collection system for billing, the error notification related to the external storage medium will be sent, and the next will be a manual payment gate. By giving a notification prompting entry, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally going to the gate for automatic payment.

(First embodiment)
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 shows a side view of a state in which a vehicle 2 equipped with an ETC on-vehicle device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention enters a gate of an entrance toll gate of a toll road equipped with an ETC system. The toll booth includes a road antenna 3, an ETC processing device 4, a vehicle detector 5, a transmission controller 6, a display 7, and an anti-fraud camera 8. The vehicle detector 5 includes, for example, an infrared sensor, and outputs a signal to that effect to the ETC processing device 4 when detecting the approach of the vehicle.

  Based on the control signal input from the ETC processor 4, the transmission controller 6 controls the behavior of the bar that blocks or opens the passage of the vehicle by changing the inclination.

  The display 7 includes a display that displays characters, graphics, and the like based on the input of the video signal from the ETC processing device 4, and a speaker that outputs sound based on the input of the audio signal from the ETC processing device 4.

  The fraud prevention camera 8 outputs a video signal of the vehicle 2 entering the gate to the ETC processing device 4 in order to monitor what illegally passes through the gate.

  The ETC processing device 4 (corresponding to a DSRC roadside device) includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, HDD (hard disk drive), and flash memory (not shown). This CPU executes a program for operation from ROM, HDD or the like, reads information from ROM, RAM, flash memory at the time of execution, writes information to RAM, flash memory, and vehicle detector 5 A settlement processing center that receives a signal from the anti-fraud camera 8, outputs a signal to the transmission controller 6 and the display 7, and is connected via a wired network to manage billing information of each gate in an integrated manner; Send and receive data. By such an operation of the CPU, the ETC processing device 4 exchanges information for collecting tolls on toll roads with the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 mounted on the vehicle 2 entering the charging gate as described later. .

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 mounted on the vehicle 2. The ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 includes a wireless unit 11, a communication control unit 12, a microcomputer 13, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 14, a SAM (Secure Application Module) 15, an IC card interface 16, and a power supply unit 17.

  The radio unit 11 includes an antenna, performs amplification, frequency conversion, demodulation, A / D conversion, and the like on a signal received by the antenna, and outputs the resulting data to the communication control unit 12. The radio unit 11 performs D / A conversion, modulation, frequency conversion, amplification, and the like on the data input from the control unit, and outputs the resulting signal to this antenna. The wireless unit 11 can change the value of a wireless parameter such as a wireless transmission / reception frequency under the control of the microcomputer 13.

  The communication control unit 12 outputs the data input from the wireless unit 11 to the microcomputer 13 and outputs the data input from the microcomputer 13 to the wireless unit 11 at a timing according to the DSRC standard. Further, the communication control unit 12 can change the value of communication parameters such as transmission timing under the control of the microcomputer 13.

  The microcomputer 13 includes a CPU 31, a RAM 32, a ROM 33, and the like. The CPU 31 executes the program read from the ROM 33, reads information from the RAM 32 and ROM 33, writes information to the RAM 32, and executes the communication control unit 12, the SAM 15, and the HMI 14 as necessary. Signals are transmitted and received, and control signals are output to the wireless unit 11 and the power supply unit 17.

  The HMI 14 includes an input device and a display device (not shown). The input device includes buttons, switches, and the like, and outputs signals based on user operations on these to the microcomputer 13. The display device displays a character, a graphic, or the like based on an input of a video signal from the microcomputer 13, a plurality of LEDs having different colors that are lit or blinked under the control of the microcomputer 13, and an audio signal from the microcomputer 13. It consists of a speaker that outputs sound based on input.

  An IC card for ETC (corresponding to an external storage medium) can be inserted into and removed from the IC card interface 16 (that is, detachable). The IC card interface 16 reads data recorded on an ETC IC card physically and electrically connected by being inserted, and writes data to the IC card. Here, the ETC IC card is an IC card that can be carried individually by the user for storing authentication information for charging, charging history information, and the like.

  The SAM 15 includes a CPU 51, a RAM 52, and a ROM 53. The CPU 51 executes a program read from the ROM 53, and when executing the program, reads information from the RAM 52 and ROM 53, writes information to the RAM 52, and needs it. Accordingly, information is written to and read from the IC card connected to the IC card interface 16, and a predetermined operation is performed by exchanging signals with the microcomputer 13.

  Specifically, when an IC card is inserted into the IC card interface 16, the SAM 15 reads out data recorded on the IC card and copies it onto the RAM 52. Further, the SAM 15 decrypts the data when the encrypted data is input from the microcomputer 13, and a part of the decrypted data is transferred to the RAM 52 and the IC card based on the instruction described in the decrypted data. Based on the command, the data collected from the RAM 52 and the ROM 53 is encrypted and output to the microcomputer 13.

  In addition, when the SAM 15 detects that the IC card has been removed from the IC card interface 16 by a user operation based on a signal from the IC card interface 16, the SAM 15 notifies the microcomputer 13 that the IC card has been removed, and the RAM 52 and the IC card. The data written to both of them is erased from the RAM 52. This is an operation for avoiding that data written in the IC card remains in the ETC on-vehicle device 1 even after the IC card is pulled out.

  The power supply unit 17 is a circuit for supplying power received in two systems from a vehicle battery (not shown) to each unit of the ETC on-vehicle device 1 described above. Specifically, the two systems are a system that receives power from a battery via an ignition unit (not shown) and a system that receives power directly from the battery. The ignition unit supplies power from the battery to the power supply unit 17 when the key switch of the vehicle engine is turned on, and cuts off power supply from the battery 2 to the power supply unit 17 when the key switch is turned off. It is supposed to be. Therefore, the power supply unit 17 supplies the power received directly from the battery to each unit of the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 when the engine is off. Moreover, the power supply part 17 can switch ON / OFF of the electric power supply to each part of the ETC onboard equipment 1 by receiving a control signal from the microcomputer 13. Since the RAM 32 of the microcomputer 13 and the RAM 52 of the SAM 15 are volatile memories, all stored data is erased when the power supply from the power supply unit 17 is interrupted.

  Here, FIGS. 3 and 4 show a flowchart of the ETC main processing program 100 that is always executed by the CPU 31 of the microcomputer 13 while receiving the power supply from the power supply unit 17, and FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the communication timing between the ETC processing apparatus 4 and the data writing timing from the ETC on-board unit 1 to the IC card. The operation of the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 will be described with reference to these drawings.

  First, the SAM 15 of the ETC on-vehicle device 1 reads the data of the IC card inserted into the IC card interface 16 into the RAM 52 as described above (step 401 in FIG. 5). Further, in the execution of the ETC main processing program 100, the CPU 31 of the microcomputer 13 first turns off the value of the write failure flag provided in the RAM 32 in step 110.

  Subsequently, in step 120, it is determined whether or not ETC communication has started. Specifically, by controlling the radio unit 11 to change the reception frequency, the carrier of the FCM (Flame Control Message) transmitted from the ETC processing device 4 is detected, and the FCM is received at the detected frequency (see FIG. 5 signal 405), if it is a regular FCM, data exchange for establishing a link with the ETC processing device 4 is performed via the communication control unit 12 and the radio unit 11. Specifically, an ACT (Activation) signal (signal 410) defined in DSRC for establishing a communication link between the ETC onboard device 1 and the ETC processing device 4 is transmitted, and the ETC processing device 4 is transmitted in accordance with the ACT signal. The BST (Beacon Service Table) signal (415) defined in the DSRC transmitted by the receiver is received, and subsequently, a VST (Vehicle Service Table) (signal 420) including information on the ETC on-board device 1 is transmitted. If the processing of the CPU 31 so far is successful, it is determined that ETC communication is started, and then the ETC communication processing of step 130 is executed. In other cases, it is determined that ETC communication does not start, and then step 140 is executed.

  In the ETC communication process of step 130, as shown in FIG. 5, first, in step 132, the CPU 31 exchanges data for charging with the ETC processing device 4 (that is, ETC process), the communication control unit 12, and the radio unit 11. Do through.

  Specifically, the Action 1... Transmitted from the ETC processing device 4 that has received the VST signal described above. req signal 425, Action2. req signal 435, Action3. req signal 445, Action4. req signal 455 is received, and Action1. res signal 430, Action2. res signal 440, Action3. res signal 450, Action4. A res signal 460 is transmitted. Here, Action1. req signal 425, Action1. The exchange of the res signal 430 is an exchange of data for mutual authentication between the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 and the ETC processing device 4. req signal 435, Action2. The exchange of the res signal 440 is an exchange of data for transmission of the vehicle possession information from the ETC on-board unit 1 to the ETC processing device 4. req signal 445, Action3. The exchange of the res signal 450 is an exchange of data for transmission of tollgate information from the ETC processing device 4 to the ETC on-board unit 1. req signal 455, Action4. The exchange of the res signal 460 is an exchange of data for notifying the ETC processing result between the ETC on-board unit 1 and the ETC processing device 4.

  In the exchange of these data, the CPU 31 outputs the data received from the ETC processing device 4 to the SAM 15 as it is. Then, the CPU 51 of the SAM 15 decodes the data received from the microcomputer 13 and reads out an instruction. Based on the instruction, the CPU 51 reads out the data recorded in the designated areas of the ROM 52 and the RAM 53, and collects the read data. The ETC processor 4 encrypts the data so that it can be decrypted, and outputs the encrypted data to the microcomputer 13. Upon receiving this output data, the CPU 31 transmits it to the ETC processing device 4 as it is. Note that the CPU 51 of the SAM 15 has the Action3. Data of the communication result included in the req signal is written into the RAM 52. Also, Action4. Since the req signal 455 includes a command to write data to the IC card, the CPU 51 of the SAM 15 that receives and decodes this data from the microcomputer 13 uses the IC card as part of the decoded data as communication result data. (Step 458).

  And CPU31 is Action4. After transmitting the res signal 460, the ETC processing device 4 sends an EventReport. When the req signal is received, the communication with the ETC processing device 4 is terminated, it is determined that the ETC communication is successful, and then step 136 is executed. If the ETC process as described above is interrupted, it is determined that the ETC communication has failed, and then step 135 is executed.

  In step 136, the CPU 31 determines whether or not the writing is successful. Specifically, if there is a notification from the SAM 15 that the writing has failed, it is determined that the writing is not successful, and then step 135 is executed. Otherwise, it is determined that the writing is successful and then step 137 is executed. .

  In step 135, the write failure flag on the RAM 32 is turned on. In step 137, the HMI 14 is used to notify the user of a successful communication result, and in step 139, the write failure flag is turned off. After steps 135 and 139, the ETC communication process of step 130 is completed, and then step 120 of FIG. 3 is executed.

  As described above, in step 130, based on the failure of the CPU 31 of the SAM 15 to communicate with the ETC processing device 4 (see step 132) and the failure of writing the communication result to the IC card (see step 136). Then, the write failure flag is turned on (see step 135), and the communication result is notified to the user based on the successful communication with the ETC processing device 4 and the successful writing of the communication result to the IC card (step 137) The write failure flag is turned off (see step 139).

  In step 140 of FIG. 3, whether or not the IC card has been removed from the IC card interface 16 is determined based on whether or not a notification that the IC card has been removed has been received from the SAM 15. If the IC card is pulled out, step 170 is subsequently executed. If not, step 150 is subsequently executed.

  In step 150, it is determined whether or not the vehicle engine is turned off based on a signal received via a signal line from a vehicle key switch (not shown). If the vehicle engine is turned off, step 170 is subsequently executed. If the vehicle engine is not turned off, step 120 is subsequently executed.

  By such processing of steps 120, 140, and 150, the CPU 31 waits until any of the start of communication with the ETC processing device 4, the removal of the IC card, and the engine off, and when communication is started, step 130 is performed. Step 170 is executed when either the IC card is pulled out or the engine is turned off.

  In step 170, it is determined whether or not the write failure flag is on. If it is on, step 180 is subsequently executed, and if it is off, step 190 is subsequently executed.

  In step 180, a notice for prompting attention at the next gate passage is given. Specifically, by controlling the lighting and blinking of the plurality of LEDs of the HMI 14 in a predetermined manner (for example, turning on the orange LED and blinking the green LED) as a common error notification regarding the IC card. Alternatively, the character of “IC card writing failure” may be displayed on the display of the HMI 14, or “IC card writing failed” recorded in the ROM 33 of the microcomputer 13 in advance on the speaker of the HMI 14 An audio signal to that effect may be output. At the same time as this notification, the speaker and the display may be made to perform voice guidance and character guidance prompting entry into the manual payment gate instead of the gate where the ETC processor 4 is located next.

  In step 190, a control signal for turning off the power is output to the power supply unit 17. As a result, power supply from the power supply unit 17 to each part of the ETC on-vehicle device 1 is stopped, and all data in the RAM 52 is erased.

  When the ETC communication device 1 fails due to the operation of the CPU 31 and the SAM 15 that execute the ETC main processing program 100 as described above, the ETC communication fails and the communication result writing to the IC card fails in the ETC communication processing. When the write failure flag is turned on and then the card is pulled out or the engine is turned off (see steps 140 and 150), if the write failure flag is on (see step 170), along with an error notification regarding the external storage medium, Next, notification is made to prompt entry into the manual payment gate (step 190). This notification is the first error notification regarding the writing failure of the IC card after the writing to the IC card by the CPU 51 has failed.

  Consider a case where a vehicle having such an ETC on-board device 1 that has been operated successfully communicates with the ETC processing device 4 at the entrance gate of the toll road, and writing of the communication result to the IC card 7 has failed. In this case, in step 135 of FIG. 4, the write failure flag in the RAM 32 is turned on. At this time, data for which writing to the IC card has failed remains in the RAM 52 of the SAM 15. After that, until there is at least one of user operations that lead to erasure of communication result data in the RAM 52 such as IC card removal and engine off by the processing of steps 140 and 150 in FIG. Is not done to the user. Therefore, the user does not induce the IC card being pulled out while the communication result data remains in the RAM 52. If the ETC on-board unit 1 communicates with the ETC processing device 4 at the exit gate without removing the IC card and the engine is not turned off, the ETC on-board unit 1 performs communication results at the entrance gate in the RAM 52 in the ETC communication process. Data is transmitted to the ETC processing device 4 so that the vehicle on which the ETC onboard equipment 1 is mounted can pass through the exit gate.

  Then, before the vehicle exits the exit gate of the toll road, for example, when the vehicle is stopped in a parking area or the like and the engine is turned off or the IC card is pulled out for some reason, communication at the entrance gate in the RAM 52 is performed. When the result data is erased, a notification that writing to the IC card has failed is made for the first time, and at the same time, a notification prompting entry to a manual exit gate is made at the toll road exit. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from going to the automatic payment gate by mistake.

  In addition, the entrance gate of the toll road has two on-road antennas 3 and communicates with the ETC processing device 4 twice in succession. From the ETC processing device 4 to the IC card in the first communication. When the command for writing the communication result data is not transmitted, the ETC on-board unit 1 succeeds in writing the communication result data to the first ETC communication and the RAM 52, and fails in the second ETC communication. Consider a case where communication result data remains only in the RAM 52. In this case, the CPU 31 turns on the write failure flag by the processing of step 132 and step 135. Therefore, as in the case where the writing to the IC card fails, notification of the writing failure is made to the user until there is at least one user operation that leads to the deletion of the communication result data in the RAM 52. Therefore, the user does not induce the IC card being pulled out while the communication result data remains in the RAM 52. In addition, when the user turns off the engine or pulls out the IC card, the communication result data at the entrance gate in the RAM 52 is erased, and at that time, a notification that writing to the IC card has failed is made. At the same time, at the exit of the toll road, a notice for prompting to enter the manual exit gate is given. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from going to the automatic payment gate by mistake.

The operation as described above is not limited to the communication with the ETC processing device 4 at the entrance of the toll road, but communication result data with a certain ETC processing device 4 is used for communication with the subsequent ETC processing device 4. This is effective in general communication with the first ETC processing device 4. For example, when toll roads where payment is made in a lump are discrete, the communication result with the ETC processing device 4 at one exit gate is used for communication with the ETC processing device 4 at the next entrance gate. However, the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 is effective. In addition, for example, in a uniform toll road that is usually charged only through one toll gate, if there is a fee discount only when passing through a specific gate immediately after that gate, ETC processing of the first uniform gate The ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 is also effective when data of a communication result with the device 4 is used for communication with the ETC processing device 4 of the specific gate.
(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The hardware configuration of the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. Moreover, the function of each part of the ETC onboard equipment 1 except CPU31 of the microcomputer 13 in this embodiment is equivalent to 1st Embodiment. Further, the CPU 31 performs processing as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 in the ETC processing of step 130 of the ETC main processing program 100 shown in FIG.

  The processing of FIG. 6 is different from the processing shown in FIG. 4 in the first embodiment when the ETC communication is determined to be unsuccessful at step 132 and the writing to the IC card is unsuccessful at step 136. If so, step 134 is executed before step 135 is executed. In step 134, the HMI 14 is used to notify the user to refrain from at least one of operations that lead to erasure of communication result data in the RAM 52, such as removal of the IC card and engine off. For example, if you do not pull out the IC card or turn off the engine, you can enter the next automatic gate on the display or speaker of the HMI 14, or enter the next automatic gate if you do not remove the IC card. It is also possible to display a character string or a voice such as “I can do it”.

  As described above, the in-vehicle device 1 includes communication result data in the RAM 52 such as removal of the IC card by the user when there is a writing failure to the IC card or a failure of the ETC communication in addition to the operation of the first embodiment. Notification is performed to suppress user operations that can lead to erasure. Therefore, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the ETC on-vehicle device 1 is proactive in order not to induce a user operation that leads to erasure of communication result data in the RAM 52 such as removal of an external storage medium by the user. The effect that it is possible to perform various operations can be exhibited.

  In addition, the ETC on-vehicle device 1 of this embodiment, after the writing to the IC card fails by the processing of step 180 of the ETC main processing program 100, notifies the error notification related to the IC card by the predetermined operation of the user. This is the first time since. Therefore, since the user receives an error notification regarding the external storage medium after receiving a notification for suppressing the removal of the IC card, the user can be more aware of the external storage medium.

In each of the above embodiments, the RAM 52 of the SAM 15 corresponds to an internal storage medium, the IC card interface 16 corresponds to an interface device, the wireless unit 11 and the communication control unit 12 correspond to a communication device, and the CPU 51 of the SAM 15 The power supply unit 17 corresponds to a storage medium control unit. The CPU 31 functions as a notification unit by executing steps 134 and 180 of the ETC main processing program 100, and functions as a flag-on unit by executing step 135.
(Other embodiments)
In each of the above embodiments, the SAM 15 and the microcomputer 13 are separated, but the microcomputer 13 and the SAM 15 may be integrated. That is, instead of the microcomputer 13 and the SAM 15, the ETC on-vehicle device 1 may have a module including one RAM, one ROM, and one CPU that executes the processing of both the CPU 31 and the CPU 51. . In this case, the data transfer between the SAM 15 and the microcomputer 13 in each of the above embodiments may be replaced with the data transfer between the processes in the CPU of the above-described module. In such a case, the RAM of this module corresponds to the internal storage medium. Further, the CPU of this module functions as a storage medium control unit together with the power supply unit 17 by performing processing equivalent to the CPU 51 of the SAM 15 in each of the above embodiments. The CPU functions as a notification unit by executing steps 134 and 180 of the ETC main processing program 100, and functions as a flag-on unit by executing step 135.

  Further, the engine off in the above-described embodiment may be, for example, an electric vehicle motor off as long as the vehicle power is off.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the ETC on-vehicle device 1 performs an error notification regarding the IC card immediately after determining that the card of the vehicle is pulled out and immediately after determining that the vehicle is powered off. However, this need not be the case. For example, the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 may be configured to perform an error notification related to the IC card for the first time immediately after determining that the vehicle card has been inserted, or to determine that the vehicle has been powered on. On the basis of this, error notification regarding the IC card may be performed for the first time immediately after that. That is, it is sufficient if the error notification regarding the IC card performed by the ETC vehicle-mounted device 1 after the vehicle card is pulled out or the vehicle is powered off is made only after the writing to the IC card has failed.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the IC card removal and the vehicle power-off are exemplified as the user's predetermined operation that leads to the deletion of the communication result data in the RAM 52. However, as the user's predetermined operation, The operation is not limited to this, and any operation that leads to erasure of communication result data in the RAM 52 may be used. For example, the reset operation of the vehicle-mounted device may be used.

  Moreover, although the onboard equipment which concerns on the said embodiment is an onboard equipment used for ETC, the onboard equipment of this invention does not necessarily need to be an onboard equipment used for ETC. For example, the DSRC processing device installed at the entrance and exit of the parking lot (or the entrance / exit common entrance) communicates with the DSRC on-board unit, so that the entrance time information and the like are stored in the DSRC on-board unit when entering the parking lot. It is written in the IC card and the internal storage medium, and is used in the DSRC system in which the DSRC processing device performs charging processing based on the entrance time information transmitted from the DSRC onboard unit and the current time when leaving the parking lot. It may be. In other words, the vehicle-mounted device communicates with the roadside device, and writes the communication result data to an external storage medium such as an IC card and an internal storage medium such as a RAM for use in communication with the subsequent roadside device. If there is a user's predetermined operation including removal of the external storage medium, it suffices to delete the communication result data in the internal storage medium.

  In the above embodiment, an IC card is illustrated as an external storage medium. However, the IC card is not necessarily an IC card, and a portable memory that can be detachably attached to an in-vehicle device such as a flash memory or a memory stick. A medium is sufficient.

It is a side view of the state where vehicle 2 carrying ETC onboard equipment 1 concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention approachs the gate of a toll road provided with the system of ETC. It is a figure which shows the structure of the ETC onboard equipment. 4 is a flowchart of an ETC main processing program 100 executed by a CPU 31. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the ETC communication process of the program 100 for ETC main processes. It is a sequence diagram which shows the content of communication with the ETC onboard equipment 1 and the ETC roadside machine 4. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of the ETC communication process of the program for ETC main processing 100 in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the ETC communication process in the conventional ETC onboard equipment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... ETC onboard equipment, 2 ... Vehicle, 3 ... Road antenna, 4 ... ETC processing apparatus,
5 ... Vehicle detector, 6 ... Transmission controller, 7 ... Display, 8 ... Anti-fraud camera, 11 ... Radio unit,
12 ... Communication control unit, 13 ... Microcomputer, 14 ... HMI, 15 ... SAM,
16 ... IC card interface, 17 ... power supply, 31 ... CPU, 32 ... RAM,
33 ... ROM, 51 ... CPU, 52 ... RAM, 53 ... ROM,
100: ETC main processing program.

Claims (7)

An internal storage medium;
An interface device in which a portable external storage medium is detachably mounted and data is written to and read from the mounted external storage medium;
A communication device for communicating with a roadside device;
Data of a communication result with the roadside device by the communication device is written to the external storage medium and the internal storage medium attached to the interface device, and communication in the internal storage medium is performed based on a user's predetermined operation. Storage medium control means for erasing the resulting data;
Notification means for performing error notification on the external storage medium for the first time after at least one of the predetermined operations of the user after writing to the external storage medium by the storage medium control means fails; Onboard equipment equipped. The on-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein one of the predetermined operations of the user is removal of an external storage medium from the interface device. An internal storage medium;
An interface device in which a portable external storage medium is detachably mounted and data is written to and read from the mounted external storage medium;
A communication device for communicating with a roadside device;
Data of a communication result with the roadside device by the communication device is written to the external storage medium and the internal storage medium attached to the interface device, and communication in the internal storage medium is performed based on a user's predetermined operation. Storage medium control means for erasing the resulting data;
An in-vehicle device comprising: a notification unit configured to perform notification for suppressing at least one of the predetermined operations of the user after writing to the external storage medium by the storage medium control unit fails. One of the predetermined operations of the user is removal of an external storage medium from the interface device,
4. The notification unit according to claim 3, wherein after the writing to the external storage medium by the storage medium control unit fails, the notification unit performs notification for suppressing removal of the external storage medium from the interface device. The in-vehicle device described. The notification means, after the writing to the external storage medium by the storage medium control means has failed, performs error notification regarding the external storage medium after the user has performed the predetermined operation. Item 3. The vehicle-mounted device according to item 3 or 4. A flag-on means for turning on a write failure flag based on the failure of writing to the external storage medium by the storage medium control means;
6. The notification unit according to claim 1, wherein when the user performs a predetermined operation, the notification unit performs an error notification regarding the external storage medium based on the fact that the write failure flag is on. The vehicle-mounted device as described in any one of these. The communication device performs communication for charging with the ETC processing device at the gate of the automatic toll collection system,
The notification means according to any one of claims 1, 2, 5, and 6, wherein an error notification related to the external storage medium and a notification prompting entry into a manual payment gate are performed next. Onboard equipment.

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