JP2013045387A - Toll collection system and wireless communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toll collection system and a wireless communication device with which wireless communication with a vehicle can be properly performed even when the vehicle is not stopped in an exact expected position.SOLUTION: A toll collection system according to an embodiment includes a wireless communication device located at a tollgate of a toll way or a gate of a car park, and the wireless communication device wirelessly communicates with an on-vehicle equipment of a vehicle that is temporarily stopped in a wireless communication area set by the wireless communication device, so that a toll collection process is executed. The wireless communication between the device and the vehicle is performed changing the wireless communication area set by the wireless communication device, by controlling the directivity of an adaptive array antenna.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a toll collection system and a wireless communication apparatus that automatically perform toll collection processing at a toll gate on a toll road.

  In recent years, as a system that uses Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), a toll collection system called an ETC (ETC: registered trademark) system (non-stop automatic toll collection system), A fee collection system called an automatic fee settlement system has been put into practical use.

  In the ETC system, an antenna device is installed on the toll collection lane of the toll booth to perform road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the on-vehicle device, and when a vehicle detector is installed on the side of the toll collection lane, Road-to-vehicle wireless communication is started with the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle. When wireless communication is completed normally, the vehicle can pass by opening the opening / closing bar of the start control device installed on the exit side of the toll collection lane, and the vehicle can perform toll collection processing non-stop. it can.

  In such an ETC system, when the road-to-vehicle wireless communication fails, the vehicle is temporarily stopped, and the road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle is attempted again, thereby normalizing the wireless communication. A configuration to terminate is introduced.

  As another system, road-to-vehicle wireless communication with roadside equipment installed in the vehicle and the roadside wireless device installed at the entrance / exit gate is performed by roadside-to-vehicle wireless communication equivalent to the ETC system for payment at parking lots. Thus, there is a fee collection system that automatically performs fee settlement.

  Thus, in a toll collection system that performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication while the vehicle is temporarily stopped, neighboring wireless communication, for example, a toll collection lane adjacent to a toll gate, an adjacent general road, or a parking lot fee settlement system In order to avoid erroneous communication due to leakage of radio waves to adjacent road-to-vehicle wireless communication areas, the wireless communication area is set as small as possible for operation.

  However, according to the above prior art, since the wireless communication area between the road and the vehicle is set small, when the vehicle temporarily stops and starts wireless communication, depending on the stop position of the vehicle, it is out of the range of the wireless communication area, As a result, there is a problem in that a state where communication is unstable or communication is disabled occurs, and predetermined charge collection processing cannot be completed.

  In addition, when the wireless communication target vehicle takes time for communication processing, the following vehicle is also in a state of waiting for toll collection, and as a result, the toll gate is congested and the vehicle is also congested in the parking lot.

  In order to avoid the above problems, if the wireless communication area is set large, at the toll booth, miscommunication with a vehicle on an adjacent toll collection lane, miscommunication with a subsequent vehicle, or other wireless communication in the vicinity due to radio wave interference An adverse effect on the device may occur.

  In addition, in order to avoid the above problem, when it is confirmed that the vehicle is stopped outside the wireless communication area when the administrator confirms the wireless communication failure of the corresponding vehicle, the intercom etc. There is an operation method for performing guidance. However, this operation method must be constantly monitored by the administrator, which is not preferable for operation. In addition, when the vehicle has to move backward when the vehicle is guided to the wireless communication area, an accident factor such as a collision with the following vehicle may occur.

  Furthermore, in order to avoid the above problems, it is conceivable to install a radio wave absorber in a place where radio wave leakage is expected, but the radio wave absorber is very expensive. This is an unfavorable situation due to an increase in the cost burden on investment managers.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-190041

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a toll collection system and a wireless communication apparatus capable of normally performing wireless communication even when the position of a stopped vehicle deviates from the initially assumed position.

  In the toll collection system according to the embodiment, the wireless communication device installed at the toll gate of the toll road or the entrance / exit of the parking lot is mounted on the vehicle temporarily suspended in the wireless communication area formed by the wireless communication device In the toll collection system that executes toll collection processing by performing road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle, the wireless communication area formed by the wireless communication device is varied by controlling the directivity of the adaptive array antenna to perform road-to-vehicle wireless communication. It is characterized by doing.

The schematic diagram which shows schematically the structure of the fee collection system which concerns on embodiment. The schematic diagram which looked at the principal part in FIG. 1 from upper direction. The block diagram which shows the structure of the part corresponding to the 1st antenna apparatus of a roadside radio | wireless apparatus. The block diagram which shows the structure of the part corresponding to the adaptive array antenna of a roadside apparatus. The flowchart explaining the operation | movement which concerns on a 1st antenna apparatus. The flowchart explaining the operation | movement which concerns on an adaptive array antenna.

Hereinafter, a fee collection system of an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of a toll collection system (ETC system) according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a toll collection lane (traffic path) at a toll booth, and it is assumed that the vehicle enters in the direction of the arrow a in the figure. It is assumed that the vehicle-mounted device 13 is mounted on the vehicle 12. An IC card called an ETC card for toll collection is attached to the in-vehicle device 13. In the memory in the ETC card, for example, OBE information (number plate information, vehicle type information, OBE ID, etc.), entrance information, exit information, and billing information are recorded.

  On the entrance side of the toll collection lane 11, a vehicle detection device 14 that detects the vehicle 12 that enters the vehicle, and an on-vehicle device 13 that is installed at a predetermined distance away from the vehicle detection device 14 and that is mounted on the vehicle 12. The first antenna device 15 that performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication with each other is provided. The first antenna device 15 forms a wireless communication area 15 a fixed at a predetermined position on the toll collection lane 11.

  On the entrance side of the toll collection lane 11, a start control device (traffic control means) 16 that controls permission and prohibition of passage of the vehicle 12 leaving the lane 11 is installed.

  A second antenna device that performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication between the first antenna device 15 and the start control device 16, for example, in front of the start control device 16, with the vehicle-mounted device 13 mounted on the vehicle 12. An adaptive array antenna 17 is installed.

Since the adaptive array antenna 17 is a known technique, detailed description thereof is omitted. However, the adaptive array antenna 17 is composed of a plurality of antenna elements, and the directivity can be varied by controlling the phase and amplitude of each antenna element. It can be done. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, when the start of wireless communication is instructed, desired wireless communication formed between the first antenna device 15 and the start control device 16 by phase / amplitude control of each antenna element. The region 17a is cyclically controlled from the downstream side to the upstream side in the traveling direction a of the vehicle 12 in a cyclic manner. In FIG. 2, an arrow b indicates the beam moving direction.
For details of the adaptive array antenna, refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-160708 and 2008-312197.

  The vehicle detection device 14, the first antenna device 15, the start control device 16, and the adaptive array antenna 17 are connected to the roadside wireless device 18. The roadside apparatus 18 is connected to a host apparatus (management apparatus) 19 via a communication line.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a portion corresponding to the first antenna device 15 of the roadside apparatus 18. In FIG. 3, the reception system includes a down converter 21, an A / D converter 22, a demodulation unit 23, and a control unit 24. The transmission system includes a control unit 24, a modulation unit 25, a D / A converter 26, and an up converter 27. A circulator 28 is connected between the down converter 21 and the up converter 27 and the first antenna device 15.

  As for the operation on the transmission side, data of a communication frame set in advance from the control unit 24 is sent to the modulation unit 25, modulated, and D / A converted by the D / A converter 26. The frequency is up-converted, is transmitted as a radio wave from the first antenna device 15 via the circulator 28, and is transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 13.

  As for the operation on the receiving side, the radio wave from the vehicle-mounted device 13 is received by the first antenna device 15 and sent to the down converter 21 by the circulator 28, where it is down-converted to a predetermined frequency, and the A / D converter 22. After being A / D converted at, it is sent to the demodulator 23.

  The demodulator 23 demodulates the received data by performing an envelope detection process on the received signal. The demodulated received data is sent to the control unit 24 where the received data is decoded.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a portion corresponding to the adaptive array antenna 17 of the roadside apparatus 18. In FIG. 4, the phase / amplitude changing means 411-41N and the phase / amplitude changing means 411-41N for changing the phase and amplitude of the received signals of the antenna elements 171-17N of the adaptive array antenna 17 are changed. An adder 42 for adding the subsequent signals is provided.

  The reception system includes a down converter 31, an A / D converter 32, a demodulator 33, and a controller 34. The transmission system includes a control unit 34, a modulation unit 35, a D / A converter 36, and an up-converter 37. A circulator 38 is connected between the down converter 31 and the up converter 37 and the adder 42.

  Also, the level of the received signal (output signal of the A / D converter 32) is monitored, compared with a preset threshold value, and when the received signal level exceeds the threshold value, a received level monitor unit 43 that notifies that fact. Phase / amplitude amount control means 44 for controlling the phase amount / amplitude amount, and phase / amplitude determination for determining each value of the phase / amplitude changing means 411-41N based on a control signal from the phase amount / amplitude amount control means 44 Means 45 are provided.

  When the control unit 34 receives a notification from the reception level monitoring unit 43 that the level of the reception signal exceeds the threshold value, the control unit 34 starts road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 13. When the phase amount / amplitude amount control unit 44 receives a notification from the reception level monitor unit 43 that the level of the received signal exceeds the threshold value, the phase amount / amplitude amount control unit 44 stops the control of the phase amount / amplitude amount.

  The operation on the transmission side and the operation on the reception side are the same as those of the first antenna device 15 shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the roadside apparatus 18 in such a configuration will be described.
First, the operation according to the first antenna device 15 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the vehicle 12 enters the toll collection lane 11 and the vehicle detection device 14 detects the vehicle 12 (step S1), a frame control signal (hereinafter referred to as FCMC (Frame Control Massage) is sent to the vehicle-mounted device 13 mounted on the vehicle 12. (Referred to as channel) signal) (step S2).

  When the vehicle 12 enters the wireless communication area 15a of the first antenna device 15 and the vehicle-mounted device 13 receives the FCMC signal, the vehicle-mounted device 13 sends a connection request signal (hereinafter referred to as an ACTC (Activation Channel) signal to the roadside wireless device 18. Is transmitted (step S3).

  When receiving the ACTC signal from the vehicle-mounted device 13, a BST (Beacon Service Table) signal is transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 13 (step S4).

  When the vehicle-mounted device 13 receives the BST signal, the vehicle-mounted device 13 transmits a VST (Vehicle Service Table) signal to the roadside apparatus 18 (step S5).

  When the VST signal is received from the vehicle-mounted device 13 (step S6), the usage fee collection processing for the vehicle 12 is performed by performing road-to-vehicle wireless communication for performing the fee collection processing with the vehicle-mounted device 13 ( Steps S7 and S8). When the toll collection process ends, the road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 13 ends, and the transmission of the FCMC signal is stopped (step S9).

  Next, the operation of the adaptive array antenna 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 13 by the first antenna device 15 fails, the communication start of the adaptive array antenna 17 is instructed (step S11). Next, by the phase / amplitude control of the antenna elements 171 to 17N of the adaptive array antenna 17, a desired wireless communication area 17a formed in front of the start control device 16 as shown in FIG. The beam is cyclically controlled from the downstream side to the upstream side (in the direction of arrow b) with respect to a (step S12). As a result, in the wireless communication area 17a of the adaptive array antenna 17, the directivity changes cyclically in the direction of the arrow b (from the downstream side toward the upstream side).
At the same time, an FCMC signal is transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 13 mounted on the vehicle 12 (step S12).

  When road-to-vehicle wireless communication fails, in general, an instruction to pause the vehicle 12 is given to the vehicle 12 by a roadside indicator (not shown), and an instruction to close the opening / closing gate is sent to the start control device 16 to close the gate. The exit of the vehicle 12 is prohibited. Therefore, the vehicle 12 is temporarily stopped at an arbitrary position between the first antenna device 15 and the start control device 16 (the radio communication area 17a of the adaptive array antenna 17).

  When the vehicle 12 temporarily stops and the vehicle-mounted device 13 mounted on the vehicle 12 receives the FCMC signal, the vehicle-mounted device 13 transmits an ACTC signal to the roadside apparatus 18 (step S13).

  When receiving the ACTC signal from the vehicle-mounted device 13, it is checked whether or not the reception level of the ACTC signal is equal to or higher than the threshold (step S14), and when the reception level of the ACTC signal is equal to or higher than the threshold, the adaptive array antenna 17 is controlled. It stops and transmits a BST signal to the vehicle-mounted device 13 (step S15).

  When the vehicle-mounted device 13 receives the BST signal, the vehicle-mounted device 13 transmits a VST signal to the roadside apparatus 18 (step S16).

  When the VST signal is received from the vehicle-mounted device 13 (step S17), the usage fee collection processing for the vehicle 12 is performed by performing road-to-vehicle wireless communication for performing the fee collection processing with the vehicle-mounted device 13 ( Steps S18 and S19). When the toll collection process is completed, the road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 13 is terminated and the transmission of the FCMC signal is stopped (step S20).

  When the toll collection process is completed, an instruction to open the opening / closing gate is transmitted to the start control device 16 to open the gate, and the vehicle 12 is withdrawn.

  According to at least one embodiment described above, the adaptive array antenna 17 is newly installed in the vicinity of the start control device 16, and road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device 13 by the first antenna device 15 fails. When the road-to-vehicle wireless communication is performed again with the temporarily stopped vehicle 12, the directivity of the adaptive array antenna 17 is cyclically variably controlled from the downstream side to the upstream side with respect to the vehicle traveling direction, and the response from the vehicle-mounted device 13 Road-to-vehicle wireless communication is started when the level of the radio wave (ACTC signal) exceeds a preset threshold value. Therefore, even when the position of the temporarily stopped vehicle 12 deviates from the originally assumed position, the road-to-vehicle communication is normally performed. Wireless communication can be performed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a toll collection system that automatically performs the toll collection processing at a toll gate on a toll road is not limited to this. The present invention can be similarly applied to a fee collection system that automatically performs payment processing.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Toll collecting lane (traffic path), 12 ... Vehicle, 13 ... Onboard equipment, 14 ... Vehicle detection apparatus, 15 ... 1st antenna apparatus, 16 ... Start control apparatus (traffic control means), 17 ... Adaptive array antenna (Second antenna device), 18... Roadside wireless device, 19... Host device (management device).

Claims (6)

  A wireless communication device installed at the toll gate of a toll road or a parking lot performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle temporarily stopped in a wireless communication area formed by the wireless communication device. A toll collection system for executing toll collection processing, wherein the radio communication area formed by the radio communication device is varied by controlling the directivity of an adaptive array antenna to perform road-to-vehicle radio communication. .   In the road-to-vehicle wireless communication, the wireless communication device controls the phase / amplitude of the adaptive array antenna to change the directivity of the adaptive array antenna from the downstream side in the traveling direction of the vehicle to the upstream side. 2. The phase / amplitude control is stopped when a level of a response radio wave from an on-vehicle device exceeds a predetermined value set in advance, and road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the on-vehicle device is started. The toll collection system described.   In a wireless communication device that is installed at a toll gate on a toll road or a parking lot, and performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication with an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle that is temporarily stopped in a wireless communication area formed by the wireless communication device, the wireless A radio communication apparatus for performing road-to-vehicle radio communication by changing a communication area by controlling directivity of an adaptive array antenna.   In the road-to-vehicle wireless communication, by controlling the phase / amplitude of the adaptive array antenna, the directivity of the adaptive array antenna is changed from the downstream side to the upstream side in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the response from the vehicle-mounted device 4. The wireless communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the level of the radio wave exceeds a predetermined value set in advance, the phase / amplitude control is stopped, and road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device is started. . A first antenna device that performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication with a vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle when the vehicle enters the toll collection lane of the toll gate;
First toll collection processing means for performing toll collection processing on the vehicle based on road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device by the first antenna device;
When the vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device is installed on the downstream side of the first antenna device in the traveling direction of the vehicle and the first antenna device fails, the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle. An adaptive array antenna for road-to-vehicle wireless communication with
In road-to-vehicle wireless communication using this adaptive array antenna, by controlling the phase and amplitude of the adaptive array antenna, the directivity of the adaptive array antenna is changed from the downstream side in the traveling direction of the vehicle to the upstream side, An antenna control means for stopping the phase / amplitude control when a level of a response radio wave from the on-vehicle device is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and starting road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the on-vehicle device;
Second toll collection processing means for performing toll collection processing for the vehicle based on road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device by the adaptive array antenna;
Installed downstream of the adaptive array antenna in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and controls the passage of the vehicle according to the result of the charge collection processing by the first charge collection processing means or the second charge collection processing means. Traffic control means;
A toll collection system characterized by comprising: In a wireless communication device that performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication with an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle entering a toll collection lane of a toll gate,
When a vehicle enters the toll collection lane, a first antenna device that performs road-to-vehicle wireless communication with an in-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle;
When the vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device is installed on the downstream side of the first antenna device in the traveling direction of the vehicle and the first antenna device fails, the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle. An adaptive array antenna for road-to-vehicle wireless communication with
In road-to-vehicle wireless communication using this adaptive array antenna, by controlling the phase and amplitude of the adaptive array antenna, the directivity of the adaptive array antenna is changed from the downstream side in the traveling direction of the vehicle to the upstream side, An antenna control means for stopping the phase / amplitude control when a level of a response radio wave from the on-vehicle device is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and starting road-to-vehicle wireless communication with the on-vehicle device;
A wireless communication apparatus comprising:

Images