JP2538905Y2 - Non-contact IC card - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

The present invention is applied to a toll collection system for toll roads and the like, and when a vehicle passes through a toll gate such as a toll road, a wireless communication area with a toll gate can be established. And a non-contact IC card that performs a communication sequence for toll collection.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a toll collection system for a toll road, companies often use a non-contact IC card to settle tolls without stopping the vehicle.

FIG. 3 shows a toll collection system of this type, that is, a toll collection system for a toll road using a contactless IC card. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a tollgate antenna for communicating with non-contact IC cards 13A and 13B carried by a user of the toll road 12 by radio signals. The wireless communication between the tollgate antenna 11 and the non-contact IC cards 13A and 13B is performed by a user (vehicles 14A and 14B on which the non-contact IC cards 13A and 13B are communicable) (wireless communication is possible). This is possible when the vehicle enters the area 15.

[0004] Reference numeral 16 denotes a tollgate computer installed in the unmanned tollgate 17. The tollgate calculator 16 receives the information such as the user number and issuance tollgate number transmitted from the contactless IC cards 13A and 13B via the tollgate antenna 11 and calculates the withdrawal amount. Claim. Upon receipt, the central computer 19 installed in the central management center 18 and connected to the tollgate computer 16 by a communication line or the like.
The withdrawal amount is communicated to the customer, and the fee is withdrawn from the user's bank account based on this.

Here, a communication sequence of a conventional contactless IC card in the toll collection system for a toll road shown in FIG. 3 will be described. First, the user carrying the non-contact IC card 13A (the vehicle 14A on which the user carries the non-contact IC card 13A) is
When the vehicle enters the communicable area 15 of (the tollgate antenna 11 installed near), the communicable signal of the non-contact IC card 13A becomes valid. Then, the non-contact IC card 13A unilaterally transmits the user number, the issue tollgate number, and the like to the tollgate antenna 11 by radio.

[0006] Thus, the tollgate computer 16 receives the transmitted user number, issuance tollgate number, and the like, calculates the withdrawal amount, and sends it back to the non-contact IC card 13A. The non-contact IC card 13A performs a process of receiving the withdrawn amount, and transmits the result to the tollgate antenna 11. If the tollgate computer 16 correctly receives the result of the receipt process transmitted from the non-contact IC card 13A, it returns an acknowledgment for notifying that the communication has been normally completed.

However, in the above-described conventional non-contact IC card communication sequence, while the non-contact IC card 13A is communicating with the toll gate computer 16 via the toll gate antenna 11, another non-contact IC card is connected from the rear. When another user carrying the contact IC card 13B (the vehicle 14B on it) enters the communicable area 15, the contactless IC card 13B unilaterally transmits the user number and the like. , The radio signal interferes. As a result, there has been a problem that normal toll collection cannot be performed.

Therefore, the present inventor has made Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 3-8014.
As shown in No. 3, even if a plurality of vehicles enter a communicable area of a tollgate such as a toll road, wireless communication between the contactless IC card of each user and the tollgate side. Are performed on a first-come, first-served basis, thereby providing a toll collection system that can prevent radio signal interference.

The communication sequence of the contactless IC card in the toll collection system of the invention of the prior application will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, 21 and 22 are tollgate computers 16
Is an inquiry number transmitted from the tollgate antenna 11 under the control of. Usually, these inquiry numbers 21 and
2 and the like are transmitted at regular intervals, and are updated with new numbers each time.

Here, under the control of the tollgate computer 16,
It is assumed that the inquiry number 21 (# 1) is transmitted from the tollgate antenna 11 at a predetermined timing, and immediately after that, the vehicle 14A enters the communicable area 15 of the tollgate 17.

[0011] When the vehicle 14A enters the communicable area 15, the non-contact I of the user on the vehicle 14A is held.
The communication enable signal of the C card 13A changes from the invalid state to the valid state as shown in FIG. The non-contact IC card 13A
The reception mode is set on condition that the communication enable signal changes from the invalid state to the valid state.

When a predetermined time has elapsed since the transmission of the inquiry number 21 (# 1), the next inquiry number 22 (# 2) is transmitted from the tollgate antenna 11. At this time, the non-contact IC card 13A in the reception mode receives the inquiry number 22 (# 2). As a result, the contactless IC card 13A is assigned the inquiry number 22 (# 2) to itself (the vehicle 14A corresponding to the contactless IC card 13A), and only the self contact IC card 13A has the right to communicate with the tollgate computer 11 via the tollgate antenna 11. And transmits information such as the user number 23 to the tollgate antenna 11.

Then, the tollgate computer 16 starts toll collection processing described below, and thereafter, from the tollgate antenna 11 following the inquiry number 22 (# 2), until the toll collection processing ends. Pause number transmission.

That is, first, the tollgate computer 16 is a non-contact IC
The withdrawal amount 24 is calculated based on the information such as the user number 23 and the toll gate number transmitted from the card 13A, and the withdrawn amount 24 is sent back to the contactless IC card 13A via the tollgate antenna 11. Make a request to the user. Non-contact IC
The card 13A receives the withdrawal amount 24, and as a result, 2
5 is transmitted to the tollgate antenna 11.

The tollgate computer 16 is a non-contact IC card 1
3A is received via the tollgate antenna 11, and an acknowledgment 26 for notifying that the communication for toll collection has been normally completed is sent to the contactless IC card via the tollgate antenna 11. Return to 13A.

In response to the acknowledgment 26, the non-contact IC card 13A terminates all operations and enters the sleep mode. On the other hand, when transmitting the acknowledgment 26, the tollgate computer 16 resumes transmission of the inquiry number after a certain period of time, and transmits the inquiry number 27 (# 3) next to the previously transmitted inquiry number 22 (# 2) to the tollgate. The signal is transmitted from the antenna 11. This inquiry number 27 indicates that the non-contact I
It is for a user who has a C card (13B).

For this reason, for example, the non-contact IC card 13A
The communication between the tollgate computer 16 and the tollgate computer 16
The non-contact IC card 13B possessed by the user who has entered the communicable area 15 during the period in which the communicable signal is enabled is kept
Until the communication of A is completed and the above inquiry number 27 (# 3) is given and accepted, the user number 29 cannot be transmitted. In this way, the tollgate antenna 11
Can receive the transmission signals of both the non-contact IC card 13A and the non-contact IC card 13B, thereby preventing crosstalk.

[0018]

However, in the non-contact IC card according to the invention of the prior application, a non-contact IC card 13A of a user who has entered the communicable area 15 first has a series of communication sequences for toll collection. Is completed and the sleep mode is set, if the wireless line state changes and the communicable signal of the card 13A temporarily becomes invalid as shown in FIG. 4 and becomes valid again, Then, the non-contact IC card 13A enters the reception mode again.

In this case, the inquiry number 2 in FIG.
When 7 (# 3) is transmitted from the tollgate antenna 11, both the non-contact IC cards 13A and 13B receive it and simultaneously send back the user numbers 28 and 29, resulting in crosstalk. For this reason, the non-contact IC card 13A again performs a communication sequence for toll collection, and the non-contact IC card 13B may not be able to communicate forever.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to collect tolls with the tollgate side in one run in a wireless communication area of a tollgate such as a toll road. Non-contact IC that does not communicate more than once
To provide a card.

[0021]

The contactless IC card according to the present invention uses the time at which a communication sequence for toll collection is performed within a wireless communicable area with a toll gate such as a toll road. Storage means for storing the time information shown;
When communication with the toll booth becomes possible, the information indicating the time at that time is compared with the time information stored in the storage means, and if the difference is within a predetermined time, ,
Control means for controlling so as not to enter a communication sequence for toll collection.

[0022]

In the above arrangement, the control means of the non-contact IC card possessed by the user who has entered the toll booth first judges whether or not the vehicle is within the communicable area of the toll booth. Return from sleep mode.

When the control means returns from the sleep mode, the control means refers to the storage means and determines the time at which the communication sequence for collecting the previous charge stored in the storage means (for example, the reception time of the acknowledgment signal) and the current time. Compare with time.

If the time difference is within a predetermined time (for example, several minutes), the control means returns from the sleep mode at least twice during a period in which the vehicle travels the same tollgate once.
Judging that the toll collection process has already been completed, and without entering the communication sequence (receiving mode) for toll collection,
Return to sleep mode again. On the other hand, when the time difference exceeds the predetermined time, the control means enters a communication sequence, transmits a user number, and performs a process for collecting a fee.

When the inquiry number includes time information indicating the transmission time and the inquiry number is received and a communication sequence for toll collection is performed, the inquiry number is stored in the storage means. By doing so, when a new inquiry number is received, the time information in the inquiry number is compared with the time information in the inquiry number stored in the storage means to enter a communication sequence for toll collection. It is also possible to determine whether or not.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, in which the present invention is applied to a toll collection system at an unmanned tollgate on a toll road.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a contactless IC card (for a toll collection system) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The configuration of the toll collection system to which the contactless IC card of FIG. 1 is applied is the same as that of the conventional toll collection system of FIG. 3 except for the communication sequence and the like. Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention will be described by using the system configuration of FIG. 3 for convenience.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a toll gate 17 shown in FIG.
Antenna (of a contactless IC card) for performing wireless communication with an antenna (tollgate antenna) 18 of the
A CPU that forms the center of the card and manages data for toll collection and controls peripheral devices. 3 is the user number,
The time when the communication sequence for toll collection was most recently performed with the tollgate 17 side, for example, the time when an acknowledgment signal was received from the tollgate 17 (acknowledgement reception time) 4 is stored together with information such as the balance. The storage element 5 for performing the operation is a timer for measuring time. When receiving an acknowledgment signal from the tollgate 17 in FIG. 3 through the antenna 1, the CPU 2 refers to the time of the timer 5 and writes the time to the storage element 3. Next, the operation of the non-contact IC card having the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 while using the system configuration of FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the vehicle 14A has entered the tollgate 17 before the succeeding vehicle 14B. The contactless IC card 13A possessed by the user of the vehicle 14A has a novel configuration as shown in FIG.
The CPU 2 in the card 13A constantly checks whether or not it is within the communicable area 15 of the tollgate 17 (step S1).

When the CPU 2 of the non-contact IC card 13A detects that it is in the communicable area 15, that is, when the communicable signal becomes valid, it returns from the sleep mode and refers to the storage element 3 first. And CPU2
Is the latest tollgate 1 stored in the storage element 3.
7, the time when the acknowledgment signal is received (acknowledgement reception time) 4 is compared with the current time indicated by the timer 5, and the acknowledgment signal is received within a predetermined time (in this case, within several minutes) from the time difference. (Step S)
2).

If the acknowledgment signal has been received within the predetermined time, the CPU 2 has returned from the sleep mode two or more times during the same run of the same tollgate 17;
Assume that the toll collection process has already been completed, and do not enter the communication sequence (receiving mode) for toll collection.
Return to the sleep mode again (step S3).

Here, it is assumed that the vehicle 14B enters the communicable area 15 of the tollgate 17 following the vehicle 14A as shown in FIG. Non-contact I of the user of the vehicle 14B
The C card 13B also has a novel configuration as shown in FIG. 1, and the CPU 2 in the card 13B determines whether or not the CPU 2 is always in the communicable area 15 of the tollgate 17 as in the non-contact IC card 13A. (Step S1).

When the CPU 2 of the non-contact IC card 13B detects that it is in the communicable area 15, it returns from the sleep mode and refers to the storage element 3 as in the case of the non-contact IC card 13A. From the acknowledgment reception time 4 stored in the storage element 3 and the current time indicated by the timer 5, it is determined whether or not an acknowledgment signal has been received within a predetermined time (step S2).

If the non-contact IC card 13B has not received an acknowledgment signal within a predetermined time, that is, the non-contact IC card 13B (the user's vehicle 14B having the non-contact IC card 13B)
Immediately after entering the communicable area 15 and the communication sequence for toll collection has not been performed yet, the CPU 2 of the non-contact IC card 13B performs the processing based on the already described communication sequence (see FIG. 4). User number (29)
From antenna 1 to tollgate 17 (tollgate antenna 11)
(Step S4), and a normal communication sequence is performed (step S5).

At this time, the non-contact I of the user who entered first
Even after the C card 13A has completed toll collection with the toll booth 17 (toll booth computer 16) through a series of communication sequences, the C card 13A returns from the sleep mode again due to a change in the wireless communication line state, as described above. Then, it returns to the sleep mode without entering the communication sequence again. For this reason, the user number (28) is not transmitted from the non-contact IC card 13A, and the non-contact IC card 13B can correctly communicate with the toll booth 17 for toll collection.

In the above embodiment, the case where the timer 5 is provided in the non-contact IC card has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the tollgate computer 16 shown in FIG. 3 may be provided with a timer for timekeeping similar to the timer 5 and used as follows.

First, the time information indicated by the timer is included in the inquiry number transmitted from the tollgate computer 16 via the tollgate antenna 11. In such a case, the non-contact IC card enters the reception mode on condition that the communicable signal changes from the invalid state to the valid state, as in the case shown in the sequence diagram of FIG.

Now, the non-contact IC card side (CPU2)
Then, after the communication for toll collection is completed, the inquiry number including the time information is written in the storage element 3.
In such a state, when the communicable signal becomes invalid due to a change in the wireless line state and becomes valid again, the non-contact IC card (CPU2) enters the reception mode and the tollgate computer 16 Receives the inquiry number from the side. Then, (the CPU 2 of) the non-contact IC card receives the time information in the received inquiry number and the inquiry written in the storage element 3 (received in the most recent communication sequence for toll collection). The time information in the number is compared with the time information, and if the time difference is within a predetermined time, the reception mode is canceled and the mode returns to the sleep mode. On the other hand, if the time difference exceeds the predetermined time, the communication sequence for toll collection is performed as it is.

[0039]

According to the present invention, as described in detail above, time information indicating the time at which a communication sequence for toll collection was performed with the toll gate is stored, and the time information indicating the time at which the communication sequence was performed with the toll gate is stored. When communication between the two is enabled, the information indicating the time at that time is compared with the stored time information. If the difference is within a predetermined time, communication for toll collection is performed. Since the configuration does not enter the sequence, it is possible to prevent two or more times of communication for toll collection with the toll booth in one run in the wireless communication area of the toll booth such as a toll road. The contactless IC card possessed by the user who has entered the communicable area first has no effect on the communication for collecting the fee of the contactless IC card possessed by the user entering later.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a non-contact IC card according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a communication flowchart of the non-contact IC card in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a toll collection system to which a contactless IC card is applied.

FIG. 4 is a communication sequence diagram of the contactless IC card according to the invention of the prior application.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Antenna, 2 ... CPU (control means), 3 ... Storage element, 4 ... Acknowledgment reception time, 5 ... Timer, 11 ... Tollgate antenna, 13A, 13B ... Non-contact IC card, 14
A, 14B: vehicle, 15: communicable area, 16: toll gate computer, 17: toll gate, 19: central computer, 21: inquiry number (# 1), 22: inquiry number (# 2), 2
3, 28, 29: User number, 24: Withdrawal amount, 25: Result, 26: Acknowledgment, 27: Inquiry number (# 3).

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A non-contact IC card which performs a communication sequence for toll collection in a wireless communicable area with a toll gate when a vehicle passes through a toll gate such as a toll road. Storage means for storing time information indicating the time at which the communication sequence for toll collection was performed with the toll gate; and when communication with the toll gate becomes possible, The information indicating the time is compared with the time information stored in the storage unit, and when the difference is within a predetermined time,
Control means for controlling so as not to enter a communication sequence for toll collection. A non-contact IC card comprising: