JP3028796B2 - Expressway toll payment method and equipment used - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toll payment method for automatically adjusting and collecting tolls on a toll road or the like, and a device for using the toll.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, traffic congestion occurs due to the payment of road tolls at toll gates. Proposals and trials for realizing non-stop tollgates by introducing electronic settlement by wireless communication have been made as described in JP-A-59947 (specification).

[0003] However, all of these proposed electronic payment methods require equipment mounted on a car.

[0004] As a proposal for solving this problem, the number of the license plate is image-recognized, or the license plate is used together with a bar code display to identify the individual and grasp the road traffic situation, and request the user at a later date. A method was proposed.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention focuses on the recent spread of mobile phones, and performs electronic settlement by mobile phones without installing special on-board equipment.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an expressway toll payment method and an apparatus that can realize toll stop non-stop and promote congestion mitigation at a gate.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention uses a mobile phone in a car and collects a toll when charging a call charge, or establishes a connection to a credit device. In the highway toll payment method that charges for tolls via the mobile phone, call the highway toll adjustment device from the mobile phone, transmit the necessary information and disconnect,
Based on this information, the expressway toll settlement device simultaneously receives an incoming call to both the mobile phone and the monitoring device provided at the tollgate, and sends a sign for passing through the tollgate to both the mobile phone and the monitoring device provided at the tollgate. And giving the signature obtained from the mobile phone to a monitoring device provided at the tollgate. If the monitoring device determines that the signature matches the given signature, the monitoring device permits the vehicle to pass through the tollgate and the toll expressway. The settlement apparatus calculates a toll and charges a road toll together with collection of the toll of the mobile phone or separately from a credit company.

[0007] The expressway toll settlement device of the present invention comprises:
A response unit that responds to the call of the mobile phone, a guidance transmission unit that sends guidance to the mobile phone according to the response, a mobile phone number reception unit that receives a telephone number that is sent according to the guidance, and A password receiving unit that receives the sent password, an inquiry unit that makes inquiries to other places, a call-back unit that calls the mobile phone based on the result of the inquiry, and a sign that tells the mobile phone side a sign to pass the tollgate It has a transmission unit and these control units, can communicate with a mobile phone and a toll gate terminal, and calculates a toll.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
When the vehicle 140 equipped with the vehicle 41 approaches the toll gate on the highway, it calls the highway toll settlement device 131. In the toll settlement device 131, the mobile phone 141 is used.
, Guidance for specifying the tollgate on the expressway is issued, and the mobile phone 141 sends a confirmation signal. Once confirmed, hang up once.

In the toll settlement device 131, the mobile phone 141 is connected via the exchange 111 and the radio base station 101.
And indicate the toll gate number. When the mobile phone 141 responds that the designated toll gate number can be passed, the expressway toll settlement apparatus 131 calls the corresponding toll gate terminal among the toll gate terminals 121 to 12n installed at each toll gate.

The called toll gate terminal, for example, 12
In FIG. 1, the characteristics of the vehicle 140 transmitted on the route of the mobile phone 141, the wireless base station 101, the switching center 111, and the highway toll settlement device 131 in order to identify the vehicle 140 having the mobile phone 141. Is the expressway toll settlement device 131-exchange office 111-toll gate terminal 121
Conveyed by the route. A monitoring function for recognizing the automobile 140 is provided in the toll gate terminal 121, and in the automobile 140 equipped with the mobile phone, the toll gate terminal 121 is provided.
The monitoring unit 1211 sends a signal that conveys the characteristics of the vehicle 140 described above, for example, a blinking signal by a passing light, or the monitoring unit itself recognizes that the vehicle is the vehicle 140 by a method such as image recognition of a license plate. know.

Next, a description will be given of an embodiment in which a credit is used as the highway toll settlement apparatus described above.

The mobile phone 141 makes a call to the credit-compatible highway toll settlement device 131, and hangs up the telephone to notify the user of his / her own identity and the number of the mobile phone. When an incoming call is received from the expressway toll adjusting device 131 to the corresponding mobile phone and the location of the mobile phone is recognized, an incoming call is sent from the expressway toll adjusting device 131 to the mobile phone and the authentication information is notified, and a sign corresponding to the authentication information is also notified at the same time. At the same time, the call is also received by the charge gate terminal 12n having the function of authentication confirmation.
The toll gate terminal to which the authentication confirmation instruction from the expressway toll settlement device 131 has arrived passes the toll gate because the sign corresponding to the authentication information matches. In addition, the sign to the toll gate terminal is performed by, for example, blinking of a headlight, so that the gate can be smoothly passed without providing a special device in the automobile.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the expressway toll settlement device of FIG. The expressway toll settlement device 131 has a credit handling function as described above. The credit handling function will be described below.

The expressway toll settlement device is necessary for separately collecting the following expressway tolls.

That is, the users of the highway have contracts for various credits. For example, having a mobile phone, that is, a trusted individual who is a mobile phone subscriber and can simultaneously pay mobile phone charges, or
It is a corporation and has the same meaning as the one with a credit enrollment contract.

If a highway usage fee is to be paid in addition to the mobile phone fee, well-known mobile phone ID information for specifying the mobile phone, or a personal identification number having the meaning of a mobile phone number and a password, or , Enter your mobile phone number and PIN using the Caller ID service,
Alternatively, access to a database storing a contract for paying a mobile phone number and a highway toll together with a mobile phone fee using the caller ID notification service and a matching means thereof, and furthermore, access to the mobile phone number It is assumed that the mobile phone is specified only by re-calling, and that the mobile phone is provided with an access to a database for knowing that the payment of the mobile phone call fee has not been delayed and a means for checking the database. Also, you can enter your credit number from your mobile phone, ask the credit company for a number inquiry, then prompt you to disconnect the phone and call the relevant mobile phone. When registered in the blacklist, the user is provided with a credit function and a device having means for prompting disconnection by providing guidance that the service of the present invention cannot be received.

It goes without saying that the credit function and the apparatus may be billed by a credit company together with the call charge of the mobile phone.

Hereinafter, the positioning of the expressway toll settlement device in the entire system and the role in the system will be described.

The highway toll settlement device 131 only needs to be in a unit for managing roads, and as a system that integrates the units for management, it is necessary to connect at least one by a telephone network.
I just need to get it.

The mobile phone 141 dials the toll settlement device 131 via the exchange to receive the corresponding service.
12 is notified that the call has been received.

The control unit 1312 includes a guidance sending unit 13
A guidance type is instructed to input a mobile phone number for calling back to 11, and the connected mobile phone 141 is informed of the guidance information via the response unit 1310.

On the other hand, in the highway toll settlement device 131,
The telephone number receiving unit 1313 waits for input of reply information according to the guidance.

When the caller's telephone number notification service is used, the mobile phone number is received by a car that has already arrived as information at the highway toll clearing apparatus 131 and has a mobile phone 141 when connected. This means that the information to be recalled has been acquired.

As described above, if the expressway usage fee is to be paid in addition to the mobile phone call fee, the control unit 1312 sends the guidance to prompt the user to input a password following the guidance to that effect. Part 131
Give instructions to 1. If you pay with a credit company,
Further, the credit number receiving unit 1315 and the password receiving unit 1314 are put on standby together with a guidance instruction to input a credit number.

These receiving units 1313, 1314, 131
5 is sent to the control unit 1
312 is activated and connects to the data bank of the mobile telephone fee bureau 160 or the data bank of the credit company 150 in order to inquire whether there is any non-payment of the charge of the mobile phone or whether the corresponding credit is creditable,
Ask if there are any problems.

If there is no problem, the control unit 1312 instructs to hang up the telephone and wait for a call.

The automobile having the recalled mobile phone 141 passes through the radio base station 101 and the exchange, and passes through the telephone network to the recall section 1 of the highway toll clearing device 131.
317, and the sign transmission unit 1318 of the toll clearing device 131 is also connected to the toll gate terminal of the toll gate to which the vehicle is going to pass.

By the way, since the toll on the highway is determined by the type of vehicle and the route, the above-described connection operation is required twice before entering and leaving the toll gate. When the information for knowing the location of the toll gate terminal is connected to the above-mentioned toll settlement device 131, the toll gate is specified and the passage of the designated toll gate number of each toll gate is confirmed. Therefore, a route is determined.

The highway toll settlement device 131 sends a confirmation response request guidance to the mobile phone 141 that the user has traveled on the highway along this route.

If the fairness is lost because the difference in fare depending on the vehicle type is not confirmed only by the confirmation response described above, it is necessary to distinguish the passing gate or confirm the license plate.

The method of distinguishing the passing gates may disturb the flow of the vehicle, and in this description, the method of checking the license plate will be described below.

Before connecting to the expressway toll gate, the license plate number is registered together with the number of the mobile phone 141 when the license plate number is connected to the expressway toll settlement device 131. From a mobile phone, there is no need to enter a telephone number if the outgoing telephone number notification service is applied.

The vehicle type and the departure place can be specified by the passage confirmation response when entering the expressway toll gate, and thereafter the expressway toll settlement device 131 waits for a connection when exiting the expressway toll gate. If the battery of the mobile phone runs out, go to the normal cash collection fee gate and enter the license plate or mobile phone number at the end connected to the pre-installed highway toll adjustment device 131 Will be calculated and the fee will be charged.

On the other hand, when entering the expressway, if a toll ticket is taken at the toll gate, but there is no cash available and the user wants to use the expressway toll settlement device, the serial number of the toll ticket, the mobile phone number, and the license plate By registering the number in the highway toll settlement device 131, it is possible to pass through the dedicated gate described above.

To prevent fraudulent declaration of license plate numbers, a surveillance unit is provided with a surveillance camera to confirm the agreement with the declaration information, and guidance of a toll gate when it is judged that the collection of charges is at risk such as delinquent telephone charges. The method includes, in advance, instructing the traveling lane to pass through the non-stop passage gate with guidance guidance, and securing a distance on the traveling lane for the purpose of securing time for monitoring or confirming the above-described confirmation items. Can be checked.

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to smoothly pass through a gate on a highway and reduce congestion at a highway toll payment gate without providing a special device in a car. Is done.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an expressway toll payment system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an expressway toll settlement device according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 wireless base station 111 switching station 121 to 12n toll gate terminal 1211 to 12n1 monitoring unit 131 expressway toll settlement device 1310 response unit 1311 guidance sending unit 1312 control unit 1313 telephone number receiving unit 1314 password receiving unit 1315 credit number receiving unit 1316 inquiry Unit 1317 call back unit 1318 sign transmission unit 140 car 141 mobile phone (in car) 150 credit company 160 mobile phone toll office

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A highway toll payment method that uses a mobile phone in a car and bills a toll in conjunction with collection of a call toll. After the communication is cut off, the expressway toll settlement device sends the incoming call to both the mobile phone and the monitoring device provided at the tollgate at the same time based on this information, and the sign for passing through the tollgate is provided at the mobile phone and the tollgate. To the monitoring device provided at the toll gate, and the monitoring device provided at the tollgate, and if the monitoring device can determine that it matches the signature transmitted from the expressway toll settlement device, A toll gate is permitted, and the toll settlement device calculates a toll, and charges a toll along with collection of the toll of the mobile phone. Road fee payment method. 2. A highway toll payment method using a mobile phone in a car and charging a toll through a connection to a credit-compatible device. After transmitting and disconnecting the information, based on the information to the credit-capable device, the credit-capable device simultaneously makes an incoming call to both the mobile phone and the monitoring device provided at the tollgate, and signs for passing through the tollgate with the mobile phone. To both the monitoring equipment installed at the toll booth,
The signature obtained from the mobile phone is given to a monitoring device provided at the toll gate, and if the monitoring device determines that the signature matches the signature transmitted from the credit-compatible device, the monitoring device permits the vehicle to pass through the toll gate, and A highway toll payment method characterized in that a toll is calculated in a corresponding device, and a road toll is charged separately from a credit company. 3. The highway toll payment method according to claim 1, wherein the sign for passing the toll gate from the vehicle to the monitoring device is blinking of a headlight. 4. The high-speed communication system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile phone in the automobile and the highway toll settlement device communicate twice before entering the toll gate and before exiting the toll gate. Road toll payment method. 5. A response unit for responding to a call of a mobile phone, a guidance transmission unit for transmitting guidance to a mobile phone according to a response, and a mobile phone telephone number receiving unit for receiving a telephone number transmitted according to the guidance. And a password receiving unit that receives the password sent according to the guidance, an inquiry unit that makes inquiries to other places, a call back unit that calls the mobile phone based on the result of the inquiry, and a toll booth on the mobile phone side A highway toll settlement device, comprising: a sign transmission unit for transmitting the sign of the above, and a control unit thereof, capable of communicating with a mobile phone and a toll gate terminal, respectively, and calculating a toll. 6. The highway toll settlement device according to claim 5 , further comprising a credit number receiving unit for receiving a credit number sent according to the guidance, and having a function of processing the credit. .