JP2009064052A - Toll collection system and toll collection method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently perform recovery operations by rapidly switching the operating status of lanes when an accident occurs in one of a plurality of lanes installed at a toll gate of a toll road. <P>SOLUTION: The toll collection system includes a lane operation table 31 for storing patterns for operating lanes #1 to #9 to control roadside devices installed at an ETC dedicated lane and an ETC/general lane at the toll gate of the entrance/exit of a toll road in an operation state or an operation stop state for every lane, a traffic lane controller 20 installed at each lane to transmit a fault notification signal including a lane number to a communication network 5 when a failure in a lane is detected because a vehicle 14 collides with a start controller 28, and a toll gate processing device 3 for closing the lane corresponding to the lane number included in the received fault notification signal and for switching the operational state of each lane by reading a pattern for operating other lanes from the lane operation table 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toll collection system and a toll collection method installed at a toll gate on a toll road such as an expressway.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, a non-stop automatic toll collection system (ETC system: Electronic Toll Collection system) has been introduced as a toll collection system for toll collection at a toll gate on a toll road.

  Among them, at relatively large toll booths with many toll collection lanes (hereinafter referred to as “lanes”), some lanes are dedicated to ETC lanes and the rest are toll collection lanes by conventional tollers (general Lane), and mixed operation is planned.

  As a technique for lane operation of a plurality of lanes in which different toll collection methods are mixed in this way, for example, the ID of a passing vehicle and the presence / absence of an on-vehicle device are measured at an entrance toll gate and an exit toll gate, and these are sequentially stored. In addition, the technology to calculate the number of arrivals and arrival times for each combination of entrance and exit from the stored data, predict the number of arrivals at the exit from the aggregated data, and determine the lane operation according to the number is released. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In the case of this technology, the lanes of the toll gate are operated so as to follow changes in the user's side, such as the amount of traffic on the toll road, but in reality, the toll road is operated In many cases, the lane operation must be changed on the side, and in this case, the above technique cannot be applied.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-297795

  For example, when an accident occurs in an ETC dedicated lane, restoration work is performed by a toll officer who recognizes the occurrence of the accident from the camera image of the lane, display of a monitoring panel, and the like. As the restoration work, it is necessary to close the ETC lane where the accident occurred and use the substitute general lane as the ETC / general lane.

  By the way, when accident information is notified to all lanes at the same time to the booth where the staff is present, it is not known which lane staff should deal with the accident lane.

  In addition, when accident information is notified only to a specific lane, the accident lane cannot be handled if the accident information is missed by the staff of the lane.

  Furthermore, the occurrence of an accident in an ETC dedicated lane means a decrease in the number of cars that can collect tolls per hour, and it is desirable to recover as soon as possible.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and when an accident or failure occurs in at least one lane among a plurality of lanes provided in a toll gate of a toll road, the operation state of the lane is changed. An object of the present invention is to provide a fee collection system and a fee collection method capable of smoothly and quickly switching and efficiently performing restoration work.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the toll collection system of the present invention is provided in a plurality of toll processing lanes including a wireless toll lane and a manned toll collection lane installed at a toll gate at a toll road entrance / exit. Lane operation information storage means for storing at least one lane operation pattern for controlling a device to be in operation state or operation stop state on a lane basis, and a failure occurring in each lane is detected. Then, the failure notification signal generating means for generating a failure notification signal including preset lane identification information and the lane identification information included in the failure notification signal generated by the failure notification signal generation are suspended. The lane operation pattern for operating each lane after changing to the state is read from the lane operation information storage means to switch the operation state of each lane. Characterized by comprising a changing control means.

  The toll collection method of the present invention is a state in which devices provided in a plurality of toll processing lanes including a radio toll lane and a manned toll collection lane installed at a toll gate at a toll road entrance / exit Alternatively, the step of storing at least one lane operation pattern for controlling the operation stop state in the lane operation information storage unit, and when a failure occurs in a certain lane, the failure notification signal generation unit arranged in the lane, A step of generating a failure notification signal including lane identification information and a lane operation pattern for operating each lane by changing the lane to an operation stop state based on the lane identification information included in the failure notification signal. And a step of reading the control device from the information storage means and switching the operation state of each lane.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when an accident or failure occurs in one lane among a plurality of lanes provided in the toll gate on the toll road, the operation state of the lane is switched smoothly and quickly, Recovery work can be performed efficiently.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a toll collection system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of lane arrangement of a toll gate on a toll road.

There are two types of toll road charge systems, one is a distance-based charge system that changes the charge according to the travel distance (traffic section), and the other is a uniform charge system that pays a fixed charge at the entrance or exit.
In the case of a flat fee system, if a fixed fee is collected at one of the entrances and exits, for example, the entrance, it is not necessary to collect a fee at the exit, so there is no need to install a radio facility or a gate facility at the exit.

  However, in the case of a flat fee system, there is a complaint from those who use short sections because the same charge is used for both short sections and long sections. The service that the fee collected at the entrance is refunded at the exit is being provided. In order to realize such a service with the ETC system, a wireless facility is also installed at the exit, and the facility configuration is the same as in the case of the distance system.

  In the following, we will explain the case of the entrance to a toll road with a flat fee system as an example, but even in the case of a distance system, there is an ETC dedicated lane in which radio equipment for ETC processing is installed at the entrance of the toll road, and the toll The present invention can be applied in the case where an ETC / general lane capable of performing both ETC processing and cash / voucher receipt is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a toll collection system for a toll road with a flat fee system is installed in the top host computer 1, a toll gate processing device 3 installed at each toll gate, and an individual lane at each toll gate. The lane system 4 and the like are connected via a communication network 5.

  The host computer 1 is a device that supervises the toll gate processing device 3 for each toll gate. In addition, the host computer 1 is connected to a computer (not shown) of an ETC card issuing company via a communication network (not shown).

  The host computer 1 has, as main functions, a function of distributing data to each tollgate processing device 3, and a function of collecting and counting processed data (billing data) processed by each tollgate processing device 3, It has a function of transmitting aggregate data to the computer of the ETC card issuing company.

  The host computer 1 is provided with an information storage unit such as a database. Distribution data stored in the database includes, for example, toll data for each section, toll gate number (toll gate code) for identifying each toll gate on the toll road, and a list of unusable card IDs ( Hereinafter referred to as a negative list).

  Each time the data is updated in the database, the host computer 1 distributes the updated data to the lower level devices. The negative list is data distributed from the computer of the ETC card issuing company to the host computer 1. The total data stored in the database is charging data, usage history data, and the like for each card ID received from each toll gate processing apparatus 3 to the host computer 1.

  The toll gate processing device 3 is a device that supervises the devices installed in the entrance lane of each toll gate, and is connected to the toll gate processing device 3 through a communication network. The toll gate processing apparatus 3 includes a CPU as a control means, a hard disk device as a storage means, and a memory. A lane operation table 31 (see FIG. 2) is stored in the memory.

  FIG. 2 shows the contents of the lane operation table 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the lane operation table 31 is a table stored in a non-volatile memory in which the stored contents are not erased even when the power is turned off. The update count, timing, switching time, toll gate number, operation pattern count , Spare, pattern # 1 to pattern # 9, etc. are registered.

  Pattern # 1 is set as L1 = ETC only, L2 = ETC only, L3 = ETC / general, L4 = ETC / general, and is a normal operation pattern.

  Pattern # 2 is set as L1 = closed, L2 = ETC dedicated, L3 = ETC / general, and L4 = ETC dedicated, and is an operation pattern when a failure occurs in the ETC dedicated lane L1.

  Pattern # 3 is an operation pattern when L1 = ETC dedicated, L2 = closed, L3 = ETC / general, and L4 = ETC dedicated, and a failure occurs in the ETC dedicated lane L2.

  Pattern # 4 is set as L1 = ETC only, L2 = ETC only, L3 = closed, L4 = ETC only, and is an operation pattern when a failure occurs in the ETC / general lane L3.

  Pattern # 5 is an operation pattern when L1 = ETC only, L2 = ETC only, L3 = ETC / general, and L4 = closed, and a failure occurs in the ETC / general lane L4.

  Pattern # 6 is an operation pattern when L1 = closed, L2 = closed, L3 = ETC / general, and L4 = dedicated to ETC, and both ETC-dedicated lanes L1 and L2 are in trouble.

  Pattern # 7 is an operation pattern when a failure occurs in the ETC dedicated lane L1 and the ETC / general lane L3 with L1 = closed, L2 = ETC dedicated, L3 = closed, and L4 = ETC / general .

  Pattern # 8 is an operation pattern when a failure occurs in ETC dedicated lane L1 and ETC / general lane L4, where L1 = closed, L2 = ETC dedicated, L3 = ETC / general, and L4 = closed. .

  Pattern # 9 is set as L1 = ETC dedicated, L2 = closed, L3 = closed, L4 = ETC dedicated, and is an operation pattern when a failure occurs in the ETC dedicated lane L2 and the ETC / general lane L3.

  In other words, the lane operation table 31 (memory) includes the ETC dedicated lanes L1 and L2 (wireless toll lanes) installed at the toll gate at the entrance and exit of the toll road, and the ETC / general lane L3 for processing the ETC and ordinary vehicles. Lane operation in which at least one lane operation pattern is stored for controlling a device provided in a plurality of fee processing lanes including L4 (manned revenue receiving lane) to an operation state or an operation stop state for each lane. It functions as information storage means.

  As a general function, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 distributes data distributed from the host computer 1 to the ETC lane control device and the toll booth toll processing machine, and processing processed by the lane control device It has a function of collecting already transmitted data and transmitting it to the host computer 1.

  The CPU of the toll gate processing device 3 operates the lane from the lane number (lane-specific identification information) generated by the lane control device 20 for each lane and input through the communication network 5. A lane operation pattern for operating each lane by changing to the stop state is read out from pattern # 1 to pattern # 9 of the lane operation table 31 and the operation state is changed to each lane control device 20 It functions as a control unit that transmits a change request signal and switches the operation state of each lane.

  In addition, when the lane number indicates the ETC-dedicated lane L1, the CPU controls each device so that at least one lane that can be changed to the ETC among the other lanes L2 to L4 is switched to the ETC operation state. To do.

  Further, the CPU is a notification device (lane control device 20, lane monitoring control panel 26, booth inside the booth 30b arranged in a lane controlled to operate as an ETC lane (for example, ETC / general lane L4 in FIG. 3). The display device 25, the receiver 21 and the like) are informed so as to respond to the restoration to the lane where the failure has occurred.

  Further, the CPU controls the devices in each lane so as to return to the original operation state when there is a recovery completion notification from the failure notification signal generation means that is the source of the failure notification signal.

  FIG. 3 is a device layout diagram of one lane in the toll gate in this toll collection system, and FIG. 4 is a control system diagram thereof.

  In the toll road toll gate, a lane (hereinafter referred to as “lane”) for collecting a toll, that is, a toll from a vehicle traveling (using) the toll road is installed. The devices shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are installed in the entrance lane of the flat fee system. However, in the case of the lane of the distance system, the automatic ticket issuing function (passage ticket) for vehicles other than ETC Automatic issuing machine and vehicle discriminating device).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the toll gate is provided with a plurality of lanes. In this example, an ETC dedicated lane L1 is provided in the first lane, an ETC dedicated lane L2 is provided in the second lane, an ETC / general lane L3 is provided in the third lane, and an ETC / general lane L4 is provided in the fourth lane.

  Among these plurality of lanes, ETC / general lanes L3 and L4 are provided with booths 30a and 30b for the toll collector to collect tolls. Since the booths 30a and 30b are not provided in the ETC-dedicated lanes L1 and L2, in the event of a failure, the clerk will go to the lane instructed to respond from either of the ETC / general lanes L3 and L4. It is necessary to perform recovery work.

  The booths 30a and 30b are places where an attendant (acquisition person) receives card media such as cash, a prepaid card, an IC card, and a toll pass from a user such as a driver of a vehicle and performs fee processing.

  In such a lane-arranged toll gate, for example, when a failure occurs such that the vehicle 14 collides with the start control device 28 in the ETC dedicated lane L1, the toll collection service for the vehicle 16 in the nearest ETC / general lane L3 is performed. As a pre-processing, it is necessary to go to the ETC-dedicated lane L1 and manually restore the equipment in its own lane to the same function as the ETC-dedicated lane. It is necessary to close the entrance of lane L1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the booths 30a and 30b, a cashier and a storage device 21 as a means for processing a magnetic storage type card medium corresponding to cash (a prepaid card, a coupon ticket, a credit card, etc.) An indicator 25, a lane monitoring control panel 26, an IC card reader 27 for processing an IC card type electronic money card medium (ETC card and non-contact IC card) corresponding to cash or cash, and the like are provided. These devices are connected by a communication network 5 and perform toll collection processing on a toll vehicle in cooperation with each other.

  The toll machine 21 has a display operation unit operated by a toll member, and collects tolls in a conventional system using cash or a card medium equivalent to cash (a prepaid card, a coupon ticket, a credit card, etc.). Do.

  In addition, the receiver / receiver 21 is equipped with devices (such as a magnetic card reader and a cash processing register) that perform conventional magnetic card processing.

  The receiving / receiving device 21 has a card medium information reading function for reading information from a card medium such as a pass ticket and a prepaid card, a function for calculating a toll based on the information read from the card medium, and withdrawing it from the prepaid card, and a receipt. And a function of issuing a receipt by issuing operation.

  The lane monitoring control panel 26 displays a malfunction such as a malfunction of the device on the message screen to notify (notify) the receivers in the booths 30a and 30b, or to switch the system operation mode.

  The IC card reader 27 reads / writes an IC card such as an ETC card or a non-contact IC card, reads information from the IC card, performs processing, and writes processing result information to the IC card.

For example, at the entrance of a toll road with a flat fee system, the IC card reader 27 performs a process of withdrawing a fixed toll from the IC card according to the type of vehicle.
In addition, at the entrance of a toll road with a distance distance, the IC card reader 27 writes entrance information on an IC card (such as an ETC card or a non-contact IC card). At the exit of the toll road, the IC card reader 27 reads card information including entrance information from the IC card of the vehicle, and performs toll collection processing using the card information and entrance information included therein.

  The lane also includes vehicle sensors (first sensor 22a, second sensor 22b, and third sensor 22c) that detect vehicles passing through the lane, a lane display board 23, a roadside indicator 24, a start control device 28, and an antenna. 29 and a lane control device 20 for controlling these devices. These devices are called roadside machines.

  Vehicle sensors (first sensor 22a, second sensor 22b, and third sensor 22c) detect the position and traveling direction of the vehicle that has entered the lane. The lane display board 23 notifies the vehicle entering the lane of the lane condition. The roadside indicator 24 notifies (notifies) the ETC processing status and processing result to the passing vehicle. The in-booth display 25 notifies (notifies) the receiving staff of the lane operation status, processing status, processing result, and the like.

  The lane display plate 23 is arranged at a place (an upper roof or the like) that is easy for the user to see in the lane into which the vehicle enters. The lane display board 23 is for informing the driver of the vehicle of the lane status (approachable, impossible, etc.).

  The start control device 28 is disposed ahead of the booths 30a and 30b in the vehicle traveling direction. A bar is attached to the start control device 28. The bar is installed so as to be able to open and close up and down while projecting or straddling across the lane. The bar is also called a blocking rod or a control rod. The bar can be opened and closed in the normal operation state and opened in the vehicle traveling direction (hereinafter referred to as “front”) as a protection mechanism when the vehicle collides.

  The bar is provided with a fourth sensor 22d as a bar opening sensor that detects when the bar is opened forward. The fourth sensor 22d is connected to the lane control device 20, and when the bar opens forward, an open signal is generated from the fourth sensor 22d that detects the bar, and the lane control device 20 detects the occurrence of a fault. Is done.

  The start control device 28 controls the advance of the vehicle (start permission and passage prevention) by opening and closing the bar under the control of the lane control device 20.

  The operation mode of the start control device 28 includes an automatic opening / closing mode and a fixed mode. The automatic opening / closing mode is a mode in which the bar is normally closed and the bar is opened when the receipt processing has been completed. The fixed mode is a mode that is fixed to each of the open fixed state and the closed fixed state set on the screen of the receiver 21 and is opened and closed by a button operation.

  The vehicle sensors in the lane include a first sensor 22a that detects the entry of the vehicle into the lane, a second sensor 22b that detects that the vehicle has reached the end position of the wireless communication area, and the vehicle is the start control device 28. It is classified into the third sensor 22c for detecting that the position has been completely removed.

  The antenna 29 includes a roadside antenna for an ETC system and an antenna for a non-contact IC card. The roadside antenna forms a wireless communication area of about 3 m, for example, so as to cover the installation range of the first sensor 22a and the second sensor 22b.

  The roadside antenna for the ETC system reads and writes information to and from the ETC card set in the vehicle-mounted device by performing wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device that is a wireless communication device for the ETC system mounted on the passing vehicle. Process.

  The antenna for the non-contact IC card is provided in the booth 30a, 30b or on the outer wall of 30a, 30b. The antennas provided on the outer walls of the booths 30a and 30b are antennas for a driver who is a user to process a card by approaching or contacting a non-contact IC card with the antenna.

  The booths 30a and 30b, the roadside indicator 24, and the lane control device 20 are arranged on the island. The roadside indicator 24 is arranged on the island at a position ahead of the booths 30a and 30b from the vehicle approach direction. The 1st sensor 22a, the 2nd sensor 22b, and the 3rd sensor 22c are installed on the island, send and receive infrared rays so that a lane may be crossed, and vehicles will be detected by intercepting this infrared rays by vehicles.

  The first sensor 22a is located at the front position of the wireless communication area where wireless communication between the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle that has entered the lane and the antenna 29 is performed (at the front end portion in the vehicle traveling direction, and the vehicle is detected by the first sensor 22a. Wireless communication is started.

  The second sensor 22b is disposed at the vehicle exit position (terminal portion in the vehicle traveling direction) in the wireless communication area formed by the antenna 29. The third sensor 22 c is disposed immediately before the start control device 28.

  The lane control device 20 controls input / output with a CPU that controls processing of the device, a memory as a main storage device that stores a control program and various data, an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive, sensors, an antenna, and the like. It is composed of an input / output control unit, a communication control unit for controlling communication with devices such as the IC card reader 27 and the receiver / receiver 21 and the like. The control program is a program that performs fee collection processing at the entrance.

  The lane control device 20 displays the ETC processing status and processing result on the booth display 25. The ETC processing status and processing result may be notified by voice in addition to being displayed on the booth display 25. A toll table (not shown) is stored in the memory of the lane controller 20 of the exit ETC system.

  The lane control device 20 detects a failure that has occurred in the lane, for example, by receiving an open signal from the fourth sensor 22d, and generates a failure notification signal that includes a preset lane identification information. Functions as a means.

  The toll table (not shown) includes an entry toll gate number, a car type, and a toll item, and a uniform toll that does not depend on the distance set for each car type is registered. The vehicle type is a vehicle category on the road operator side such as a first vehicle type such as a motorcycle, a light vehicle, or a normal vehicle, and a second vehicle type such as a large vehicle or a bus. For example, 700 yen is stored for vehicles in the first vehicle category such as ordinary vehicles, and 1400 yen is stored for vehicles in the second vehicle category such as large vehicles. That is, the toll set for each vehicle type is stored in the toll table. In this toll table, the toll booth numbers are numbered sequentially from “0001”, for example.

  That is, the lane control device 20 has a function of performing toll processing using data distributed from the toll gate processing device 3, a function of controlling roadside devices arranged in the lane, and a vehicle that has entered the lane. It has a function of communicating with the vehicle-mounted device, performing ETC processing (entrance processing), and transmitting processing data to the toll gate processing apparatus 3.

  There are two types of IC cards: ETC card (IC card with post-payment method), which is an IC card for ETC system that does not have a wireless communication function, and wireless communication with the card alone in a narrow communication area of about several centimeters. There is a non-contact IC card having a function (an IC card that can be charged by a prepaid method).

  The non-contact IC card has a flash memory as storage means for storing money amount data (remaining amount information) and card ID (card identification information) for paying a toll road fee, a toll gate number from the IC card reader 27, and an exit. The usage history information of the processing results in, the antenna that receives the amount data etc. when charging the remaining amount, and the toll number, usage history information, amount data etc. received by this antenna are stored in the flash memory and the payment result MPU (microprocessor unit) for storing the data.

  The MPU reads the amount data and the card ID from the flash memory according to the amount data read request from the IC card reader 27 when using the toll road, and transmits it to the IC card reader 54.

  The ETC card is provided with a flash memory that can store and read information, an interface unit that exchanges data with the interface unit of the vehicle-mounted device, and a CPU that controls the interface unit and the flash memory.

  The CPU controls reading and writing of data from the flash memory. The flash memory stores billing information such as the user's bank account number and the expiration date of the contract. The flash memory stores a card ID (ID number) for specifying an ETC card in advance.

  The flash memory is provided with a passage information storage area in which information indicating passage is stored every time it passes through an entrance or exit of a road. In the passage information storage area, information on the entrance when the vehicle enters the entrance lane (entrance information) and usage details information are stored. In the entrance information storage area, the entrance toll gate number and passage time are stored. The entrance information is stored only in the IC card that has undergone entrance processing.

  A vehicle using an ETC card is equipped with a vehicle-mounted device on which the ETC card is set. The in-vehicle device includes a card storage unit that stores the ETC card 7, an interface unit with the ETC card, an IC card processing unit that processes information read through the interface unit, and stores a processing result in the memory; The wireless control unit that transmits the stored information from the OBE antenna and stores the information received by the OBE antenna in the memory, the display operation unit that is operated by the user and guides the operation contents, and the respective units are integrated. And a control unit that controls the operation.

  In the memory, in addition to the specification information (vehicle length, vehicle height, number of shafts, weight, application, features, etc.) of the vehicle on which this OBE is mounted, an ID number for distinguishing the OBE from other OBEs (Vehicle equipment ID) is recorded in advance.

  The display / operation unit includes an operation unit including a key operation unit operated by the user, a display unit including a character display for guiding operation contents and an LED lamp, and an IC card insertion and removal. It is equipped with a mouth. The display unit displays various information such as wireless processing information and notifies the user (driver or the like).

  When the ETC card is installed in the vehicle-mounted device, the billing that is stored in its own flash memory only after the validity of the vehicle-mounted device is confirmed by exchanging signals with the control unit via the IC card processing unit of the vehicle-mounted device Information is sent to the vehicle-mounted device and stored in the memory of the vehicle-mounted device. During wireless communication with the roadside antenna, information (vehicle equipment information including card information) stored in the memory of the vehicle-mounted device is sent to the roadside device side.

  The operation of this fee collection system will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the toll collection system, and FIG. 7 is a communication sequence chart between the toll gate processing apparatus and the lane control apparatus for each lane.

  In the case of this toll road, the vehicle driver pays a fixed toll to the exit at the toll gate at the entrance of the toll road, and can leave the toll road without stopping the vehicle at the exit of the toll road.

  In the toll collection system, unique identification information (toll booth number) is assigned to each toll booth, and the toll booth can be identified by the toll booth number. The toll booth number is stored in advance in each toll booth processing apparatus 3 and is managed in an integrated manner by the host computer.

  In the case of this toll collection system, when an ETC vehicle enters an ETC dedicated lane L1 of a toll gate and wireless communication is performed between the antenna 29 of the lane system 4 and the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle 14, the ETC card is installed in the vehicle-mounted device. Was not set, the start control device 28 was not released, and the driver proceeded while thinking that the ETC process would be performed. Therefore, an accident occurred in which the vehicle 14 collided with the start control device 28. Shall.

  When the vehicle 14 collides with the start control device 28 in the ETC-dedicated lane L1 and the bar of the start control device 28 opens forward, when the opening is detected by the fourth sensor 22d, an open signal is output from the fourth sensor 22d. The occurrence of a failure is detected by the lane control device 20 in the ETC dedicated lane L1 (step S101).

  The lane control device 20 that has detected the occurrence of the failure notifies the toll gate processing device 3 through the communication network 5 (step S102).

  The CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 that has received the failure notification signal identifies the lane L1 from the lane number included in the failure notification signal, changes the operation suspend state, and sets the lane operation pattern to operate each lane. Read from the lane operation table 31 and switch the operation state of each lane according to the lane operation pattern.

  In this example, since a failure has occurred in the ETC dedicated lane L1, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 reads the pattern # 2 in which the ETC dedicated lane L1 is set to “closed” from the lane operation table 31, and the pattern The operation state of each lane L1 to L4 is changed according to # 2.

  Specifically, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 sends an operation change request for closing the lane to the lane control apparatus 20 of the ETC dedicated lane L1 where the accident has occurred (step S103).

  The lane control device 20 that has received the operation change request sends a change request signal to the subordinate devices (accepting device 21, roadside indicator 24, lane display board 23, lane monitoring control panel 26, etc.).

  Upon receipt of the change request signal, the receiver 21 and the lane monitoring control panel 26 change the signal light from blue to “red”, change the display of the lane indicator 23 to “prohibited entry / closed”, and change the road indicator 24 to “accident occurrence”. The display is changed to “medium” and the start control device 28 closes the bar.

  As a result, the driver of the vehicle entering the lane from now on is urged to stop the operation of the ETC exclusive lane L1 and to pass the other lane.

  Further, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 transmits a signal for notifying the occurrence of a failure to the lane control apparatus 20 of the ETC / general lane L3 among other lanes in which no accident has occurred, An operation change request is made to the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 so as to be an ETC dedicated lane (step S104).

  The lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L3 that has received the failure occurrence notification signal notifies that a failure has occurred in the ETC dedicated lane L1, but does not give instructions for recovery or operation change.

  The lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 that has received the operation change request notifies the subordinate display devices (the lane monitoring control panel 26, the receiver 21 and the like) to that effect, and displays the accident processing / Display a message requesting action.

  In this example, display devices (the lane monitoring control panel 26, the receiver 21 and the like) on the ETC / general lane L4 are targeted. The receiver of the ETC / general lane L4 confirms the failure display on the screen of the receiver 21 and visually confirms that an accident has occurred in the ETC dedicated lane L1. To the lane control device 20 to switch from ETC / general mixed operation to dedicated ETC, and the lane control device 20 switches each subordinate device to dedicated to ETC. Thereafter, the recipient of the ETC / general lane L4 goes to the accident handling of the ETC dedicated lane L1.

  The accident handling / response of the ETC dedicated lane L1 is completed by the recovery work of the ETC / general lane L4 collector (step S105), and the bar of the start control device 28 in the ETC dedicated lane L1 is closed. Is detected by the fourth sensor 22d and notified to the lane control device 20 of the ETC-dedicated lane L1. The lane control device 20 detects the closing of the bar based on this notification, and sends an accident recovery notification to the toll gate processing device 3 (step S106).

When receiving the accident recovery notification, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 issues a request to resume the ETC process to the lane control apparatus 20 in the ETC dedicated lane L1 (step S107).
The lane control device 20 in the ETC dedicated lane L1 that has received this restart request instructs each subordinate device to restart the ETC processing operation.

  Upon receipt of the restart instruction, the receiver 21 and the lane monitoring control panel 26 change the signal light from red to “blue”, change the display of the lane display 23 to “dedicated to ETC”, and change the display of the roadside indicator 24 to “deceleration”. Then, the start control device 28 is opened to notify the driver of the vehicle entering the toll booth that the ETC dedicated lane L1 has returned to operation.

  When the CPU of the toll gate processing device 3 receives a notification of the completion of the ETC processing resuming operation from the lane control device 20 of the ETC dedicated lane L1, the CPU sends an accident recovery notification to the ETC / general lane L3 that has just notified the occurrence of the failure. At the same time, an operation change request is made to the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 in which the staff member who has handled / handled the accident works (step S108). In this example, ETC / general lanes L3 and L4 are targeted.

  The lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L3 displays a message indicating that the failure of the ETC dedicated lane L1 has been recovered on the screen of the receiver 21 by receiving the accident recovery notification, and notifies the receiver. The collector here does nothing.

  In addition, the lane control device 20 in the ETC / general lane L4 receives the operation change request, and controls the subordinate equipment so as to return the ETC dedicated operation state to the normal mixed operation state.

  In this example, the lane monitoring control panel 26 of the ETC / general lane L4, the receiver 21 and the like) are targeted. The clerk who sees the operation change instruction displayed on the screen of the receiver 21 confirms the operation change contents of the lane, and performs an operation to switch the operation state from the ETC dedicated state to the mixed operation state, thereby the lane control device 20. Switches and controls each device.

  The CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 holds information on the lane L3 that has notified the occurrence of the failure / accident and the lanes L1 and L4 that have notified the operation change request in the memory. The necessary notifications are automatically performed. The notification target lane information is held as setting data, and can be changed without stopping the operation of the devices in each lane by an application method such as file transfer.

  Here, the operation process of the entire toll gate will be described with reference to the communication sequence chart of FIG.

  The lane control device 20 installed in each lane notifies the toll gate processing device 3 of its own lane operation state (step S301).

  In the example of FIG. 3, lane L1 is an “ETC dedicated lane”, lane L2 is an “ETC dedicated lane”, lane L3 is an “ETC / general lane”, and lane L4 is an “ETC / general lane”. The signal is transmitted to the toll gate processing apparatus 3.

  By receiving these operation notification signals, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 recognizes / manages the operation state of each lane.

  Here, for example, when an accident occurs in the ETC dedicated lane L1, the lane control device 20 in the ETC dedicated lane L1 notifies the connected device under control of the accident and controls the start control device 28 to lower the bar. Close the lane.

  After closing the lane, the lane control device 20 of the ETC dedicated lane L1 transmits an operation notification signal indicating “closed” to the toll gate processing device 3 together with the lane number (step S302).

  Upon receipt of this notification, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 reads the operation pattern when the corresponding lane is closed with reference to the lane operation table 31, and instructs each lane to make a change and recovery response.

  For example, the ETC-dedicated lane L1 is changed from ETC-dedicated to “closed”, and the ETC-dedicated lane L1 that needs to be recovered from an accident is referred to the lane operation table 31 and the lane where there is a staff member who performs restoration work (response destination) Lane).

  In this example, an operation pattern in which the corresponding lane L1 in the lane operation table 31 is “closed”, for example, pattern # 2 is read by the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3, and the ETC / general lane L4 is determined as the corresponding destination lane. Then, a failure notification and a response instruction request (response request) are transmitted to the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 (step S303).

  When the lane control device 20 that has received the response request displays a message instructing the occurrence of a failure in the ETC-dedicated lane L1 and the handling of the staff on the booth indicator 25, the receiving person 19 of the booth 30b in the ETC / general lane is Then, the occurrence of an accident in the ETC dedicated lane L1 is confirmed by the failure display and the response instruction, and the process proceeds to the accident processing in the ETC dedicated lane L1.

  When a confirmation operation for the request such as pressing the confirmation button is performed, the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 returns an affirmative response to the toll gate processing device 3 (step S304).

  The toll gate processing apparatus 3 waits for a reply of an affirmative response, and retransmits the response request when the reply cannot be received within a predetermined time. If the reply cannot be confirmed even by re-transmission that defines the number of times, the response request is transmitted to another lane (lane control device 20 in the ETC / general lane L3 in the example of FIG. 3).

  When an affirmative response is received within a predetermined time, the toll booth processing apparatus 3 follows the pattern set in the lane operation table 31 so as to minimize the decrease in the number of toll collection processing at the toll booth. The change request to the ETC dedicated operation is notified to the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 that is being operated (step S305).

  When the change request is received, the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 displays it on the failure display device (the lane monitoring control panel 26, the receiver 21, the booth display 25, etc.) of the ETC / general lane L4. .

  In the example of FIG. 3, the failure display device (the lane monitoring control panel 26, the receiver 21, the booth display 25, etc.) on the ETC / general lane L4 is a target. The lane receiver who has displayed the operation change instruction confirms the lane operation change contents, and operates the operation changeover switch provided in the receiver 21 or the lane monitoring control panel 26 to operate the lane. Switch to dedicated ETC.

  By this switching operation, an affirmative response to the change request is returned from the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 to the toll gate processing device 3 (step S306).

  When the switching to the ETC dedicated operation is completed, the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 transmits an operation notification indicating “ETC dedicated” to the toll gate processing device 3 (step S307).

  Upon receipt of this notification, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 changes the status of the ETC / general lane L4 in the lane operation state held in the memory to “only for ETC”.

  Thereafter, when the accident handling / response of the ETC dedicated lane L1 is completed by the response of the staff of the ETC / general lane L4, the ETC dedicated lane L1 is returned from “closed” to “ETC dedicated” to resume the operation of the ETC dedicated lane L1. . Accordingly, an operation notification indicating “ETC only” is transmitted from the lane control device 20 in the ETC dedicated lane L1 to the toll gate processing device 3 (step S308).

  Upon receipt of this notification, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 changes the status of the lane operation state of the ETC dedicated lane L1 held in the memory from “closed” to “ETC dedicated”, that is, returns to the original operation state.

After the change, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 transmits a recovery notification to the lane control apparatus 20 of each lane L2, L3, L4 (step S309), and receives an affirmative response from each lane (step S310).
After receiving the affirmative response, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 notifies the change request to the lane control apparatus 20 in the lane L4 where the staff member who performed the accident processing / response is present (step S311).

  When the lane control device 20 in the lane L4 receives this change request, the subordinate equipment is returned from ETC dedicated to ETC / general operation.

  The toll gate processing apparatus 3 notifies the change request to the lane L4 that has been changed from the mixed lane to the dedicated lane (step S310).

  In FIG. 3, the failure display devices (the lane monitoring control panel 26, the receiver 21 and the like) of the ETC / general lane L4 are targeted. Receiving person 19 of booth 30b confirming the change request message confirms the operation change contents of the lane, operates the operation change switch, etc., and changes the operation state of the lane from the operation state of “ETC only” to “ETC / general”. To the operational status of "".

  By this switching operation, an affirmative response to the change request is returned from the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 to the toll gate processing device 3 (step S312).

  Thereafter, when the switching of the operation state is completed, an operation notification indicating “ETC / general” is transmitted from the lane control device 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 to the toll gate processing apparatus 3 (step S313).

  Upon receipt of this notification, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 changes the status of the lane operation status of the ETC / general lane L4 held in the internal memory from “ETC dedicated” to “ETC / general”.

  In this way, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 recognizes and manages the operation status of the entire toll gate by receiving the operation notification from each of the lanes L1 to L4.

  That is, in the toll gate processing apparatus 3, the CPU reads the corresponding pattern in which the lane number is “closed” from the lane operation table 31 using the lane number where the accident occurred as a key, and the failure / accident in each lane. The lane for notifying the occurrence, the lane for notifying the operation change request, and the like are determined, and the operation state of the target lane is switched and controlled according to the occurrence of the failure / accident and the recovery state.

  Hereinafter, some application examples for changing the operation form of the toll gate lane in more detail will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hourly operation table 32 in which operation patterns are set for each hour.

  In this case, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 provides the hourly operation table 32 in the memory, and the CPU controls the operation state of each lane according to the operation pattern of the hourly operation table 32.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the hourly operation table 32 holds operation patterns for each lane for each time zone. The CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 refers to the hourly operation table 32, and the operation mode of each lane of the toll gate according to the time zone caused by the increase / decrease in the number of passing vehicles, the increase / decrease in the number of ETC vehicles, the increase / decrease in the number of staff, etc. To change.

  In other words, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 is for checking the operation pattern application time, checking when receiving an operation notification from each lane, checking when transmitting an operation mode change request to each lane, and the like. This hourly operation table 32 is used.

  For example, when it is 2:00 am (AM 2:00), the operation pattern # 5 used so far is changed to the operation pattern # 8 by the CPU.

  Here, each operation pattern is changed from pattern # 5 (L1 = ETC dedicated, L2 = ETC dedicated, L3 = ETC / general, L4 = closed) to pattern # 8 (L1 = closed) in the lane operation table 31 shown in FIG. Closed, L2 = only for ETC, L3 = ETC / general, L4 = closed), and the toll processing unit 3 CPU becomes the roadside of the ETC dedicated lane L1 at AM 2:00 A change request indicating “closed” is transmitted to the device (the lane control device 20 or the like).

  In this example, it is considered to save labor for a toll booth whose traffic volume decreases during midnight.

  The example of FIG. 8 is an example of the hourly operation table 32 in which the operation pattern of each lane is defined every hour, and the example of FIG. 9 is the operation table 33 by time zone in which the operation pattern change timing itself is defined in the time zone. It is an example.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the date-by-date operation table 34 in which operation patterns are defined so that the lane operation mode is switched by date (by year).

  Further, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a date / time operation table 35 in which operation switching times and lane operation patterns at that time are defined (defined) for each date / time.

  For example, when it becomes January 4 AM 0:00, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 reads the date pattern # 2 from the date-specific operation table 34 of FIG. 10 and changes the date pattern # 1 so far to the date pattern # 2. Change to

  Here, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 further refers to the date / time operation table 35 of FIG. 11 to determine the lane operation pattern to be applied to 23:59 of the date pattern # 1 as the pattern # 6, and the date. The lane operation pattern applied at 0:00 of pattern # 2 is determined as pattern # 2.

  The determined patterns # 6 and # 2 are obtained from the lane operation table 31 of FIG. 2 by using pattern # 6 (L1 = closed, L2 = closed, L3 = ETC / general, L4 = ETC only), pattern # 2 (L1 = Close, L2 = ETC only, L3 = ETC / general, L4 = ETC only).

  Therefore, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 transmits a change request indicating switching to “ETC dedicated” to the roadside device (lane control device 20) in the ETC dedicated lane L2. This example considers application to a toll booth where traffic volume that had decreased during the New Year returns to normal.

  In other words, by using the date / time operation table 35 in which the start time and the lane operation pattern of the date pattern in FIG. 11 are defined together with the tables in FIG. 10 and FIG.

  By applying the tables shown in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9, the operation can be changed for each time period. By changing the operation state using the tables shown in FIGS. 10, 11, and 2, Change toll gate lanes for special traffic such as New Year holidays, holidays, and holidays.

  FIG. 12 shows an example of the emergency lane operation table 36 in which emergency change of lane operation is defined (defined). The change of the lane operation mode using each table shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 to FIG. 11 is to realize the optimum operation mode specific to the toll booth. This is an example that considers changing the operation of a plurality of tollgates as an emergency measure, and assumes that an emergency vehicle needs to pass through a plurality of tollgates.

  When it is necessary to change to emergency operation from a host device (host computer 1 or the like) that supervises the toll gate, the emergency lane operation table 36 is transmitted to the toll gate processing device 3 of the corresponding toll gate.

  Upon receiving this emergency lane operation table 36, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 receives pattern # 5 (L1 = ETC only, L2 = ETC only, L3 = ETC / general, L4 = closed) from the lane operation table 31 in the internal memory. Perform emergency application processing.

  The toll gate processing apparatus 3 controls the current operation mode of the lane from the operation pattern, date, and time (the tables in FIGS. 2 and 8 to 11), and issues a change request to the lane that needs to be changed.

  For example, when the emergency lane operation table 36 is received during the operation time zone of pattern # 1, the toll gate processing apparatus 3 transmits a change request instructing “closed” to the lane control apparatus 20 of the ETC / general lane L4. To do.

  When the emergency application is completed due to the completion of the passage of the emergency vehicle or the like, an emergency operation end notification is transmitted from the host computer 1 to the toll gate processing apparatus 3. An example of the notified data is shown as an emergency lane operation table 37 in FIG.

  The CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 that has received the emergency lane operation table 37 makes a change request to a lane that requires an operation mode change from the date and time (the tables in FIGS. 2 and 8 to 11). The emergency lane operation table 37 is stored in the operation time zone (06: 0 to 20:59) of the time zone table 32 in FIG. 8 where the emergency application pattern # 5 has been applied as an emergency response upon reception of the emergency lane operation table 36. When received, the CPU of the toll gate processing apparatus 3 transmits a change request instructing the lane control apparatus 20 of the ETC / general lane L4 to return from “closed” to “ETC / general”.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to the said embodiment. In the above embodiment, the flat fee system has been described, but the present invention is also applicable to a distance system. In the above embodiment, the processing when the ETC card is used has been mainly described. However, the same processing can be performed with a non-contact IC card.

  In the above embodiment, the toll gate processing device 3 receives the operation notification from the lane control device 20 of each lane and controls each lane control device 20, but the lane control device 20 of the lane in which the failure occurs is processed by the toll gate processing. The role of the device 3 may be fulfilled.

It is a system configuration figure of a charge collection system of one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows a lane operation table. It is a figure which shows the example of lane arrangement | positioning of the toll gate of a toll road. It is an arrangement plan of roadside equipment of each lane. It is a control system diagram of this toll collection system. It is a flowchart which shows a lane operation change process. It is a communication sequence chart between each lane apparatus at the time of performing a lane operation change process. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation table according to time. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation table classified by time zone. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation table classified by date. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation table classified by date time. It is a figure which shows an example of the emergency lane operation table which shows application of emergency operation. It is a figure which shows an example of the emergency lane operation table which shows completion | finish of emergency operation.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Host computer, 3 ... Toll booth processing device, 4 ... Lane system, 5 ... Communication network, 14, 16 ... Vehicle, 19 ... Toll collector, 20 ... Lane control device, 21 ... Toll collector, 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d ... sensor, 23 ... lane indicator, 24 ... roadside indicator, 25 ... booth indicator, 26 ... lane monitoring control panel, 27 ... IC card reader, 28 ... start control device, 29 ... antenna, 30a, 30b ... Booth, 31 ... lane operation table, 32 ... time operation table, 33 ... time zone table, 34 ... date operation table, 35 ... date / time operation table, 36, 37 ... emergency lane operation table.

Claims (5)

To control devices installed in multiple toll processing lanes, including wireless toll lanes and manned toll lanes installed at toll gates at entrances and exits of toll roads, in lane-by-lane status, in operation or in suspension Lane operation information storage means in which at least one lane operation pattern is stored,
A failure notification signal generating means that is arranged in each of the lanes, detects a failure that has occurred in the lane, and generates a failure notification signal including preset lane identification information;
From the lane identification information included in the failure notification signal generated by the occurrence of the failure notification signal, the lane operation pattern for changing the lane to the operation stop state and operating each lane is read from the lane operation information storage unit. A toll collection system comprising control means for switching the operation state of each lane. In the fee collection system according to claim 1,
The control means includes
When the lane identification information indicates a lane for wireless reception, at least one lane among the other lanes that can be changed in operation for wireless reception is switched to the lane for wireless reception. A toll collection system characterized by controlling each device. In the fee collection system according to claim 2,
The control means includes
A toll collection system for notifying a toll booth arranged in a lane controlled to operate as the wireless toll lane so as to cope with a recovery to the faulted lane. In the fee collection system according to claim 1,
The control means includes
A toll collection system that controls devices in each lane so as to return to the original operation state when a recovery completion notification is received from the failure notification signal generation means that is the generation source of the failure notification signal. To control devices installed in multiple toll processing lanes, including wireless toll lanes and manned toll lanes installed at toll gates at entrances and exits of toll roads, in lane-by-lane status, in operation or in suspension Storing at least one lane operation pattern in the lane operation information storage means;
When a failure occurs in a certain lane, a failure notification signal generating means arranged in the lane generates a failure notification signal including lane identification information; and
From the lane identification information included in the failure notification signal, the control device reads out the lane operation pattern for operating each lane by changing the lane to the operation stop state from the lane operation information storage unit, and the operation state of each lane. And a toll collection method characterized by comprising:

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