JP4706218B2 - Automatic toll collection system and gate control device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic toll collection system and a gate control device installed at an interchange toll gate on a toll road, and more particularly to a control of a gate that can be opened and closed and a display control of a roadside indicator provided in front of the gate. It is.

An automatic toll collection system installed at an interchange toll booth on an automobile toll road is generally called an ETC (registered trademark) system. This system includes an in-vehicle device and a lane server installed in a vehicle such as a passenger car or a truck. When the normal information is obtained within a certain period of time, the gate is opened and the vehicle passes through the toll gate non-stop.
As a conventional automatic toll collection system, a lane between the time when a vehicle traveling on an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) lane is detected by the first detector and the time when the vehicle is detected by the second detector is shown. If the server communicates with the in-vehicle device for the passage of the gate or the toll for road toll by the antenna, and normal information can be acquired from the in-vehicle device, it is installed in front of the second detector. The roadside indicator is displayed such as characters indicating that it can pass, and the gate arranged in front of the roadside indicator is opened to control the vehicle without passing through the vehicle. When normal information cannot be obtained, the roadside indicator installed in front of the second detector displays a letter indicating that the vehicle is to be stopped, and is placed in front of the roadside indicator. Gate Remain closed, there is that so as to control so as to stop the vehicle (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Note that the reason why normal information cannot be obtained from the in-vehicle device is that the in-vehicle device is faulty or the vehicle driver forgets to install an IC card (ETC card) for charge settlement in the card slot of the in-vehicle device. However, when the vehicle is stopped by this, a toll gate member goes to the stopped vehicle and performs appropriate measures. For example, if the ETC system is on the entrance side of the toll gate, processing such as handing a toll pass is performed, and if the ETC system is on the exit side of the toll gate, the driver will use the The IC card is stored, the card number is read by a predetermined card reader, returned to the driver, and billing processing is performed later.

However, the conventional techniques described above have the following problems.
That is, in this type of system, when the lane server communicates with the vehicle device, if it has not been possible to obtain the normal information, communication start or al Plant constant time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed, the roadside Since the display displays a message to the effect that the vehicle is required to stop, if the driver is unaware that the in-vehicle device is faulty or forgets to install the card, and the vehicle speed is high, the vehicle will stop at the roadside indicator. When the vehicle is displayed, the vehicle driver has already approached the roadside indicator and has no time to view the display, so hit the vehicle against the closed gate. There was a problem that.

In order to secure sufficient time for the driver to visually check the display contents of the roadside indicator, the distance between the second detector and the roadside indicator can be increased. Such a change requires a large amount of money, and is difficult to realize due to restrictions on the length of the lane.
An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

Therefore, the automatic toll collection system of the present invention includes a first detector for vehicle detection, and a second detector for vehicle detection arranged in front of the first detector at a predetermined interval. An antenna that communicates wirelessly with an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle, a display disposed in front of the second detector, an openable / closable gate disposed in front of the display, Reception of vehicle detection information from the first and second detectors, communication by the antenna, display of the display, and communication of the vehicle-mounted device and the antenna at the second detector A control device that controls opening and closing, and when the first detector detects the vehicle, the control device communicates with an in-vehicle device of the vehicle by an antenna, and the second detector detects the vehicle. Normal information can be acquired from the in-vehicle device If when no is the indication that finding the stop of the vehicle the display contents of the display unit, wherein the second detector has been acquired normal information from the vehicle device in detecting the vehicle , the control unit opens the gate with the displays that display contents of the display by placing that it is possible to passage of the vehicle are possible passage of the vehicle, also the communication ends Even if the second detector detects the vehicle before, if normal information can be acquired from the vehicle-mounted device within a certain time, the control device determines that the vehicle can pass. characterized in open that the gate switches the display content of the display on the display indicating that can pass from indication to determine the vehicle stop of the vehicle Te.

  The present invention thus configured communicates with an in-vehicle device of a vehicle by an antenna, and when the second detector detects the vehicle before the communication ends, the control device displays the vehicle on the display. Display indicating that the vehicle is requested to stop, and if the normal information can be acquired from the vehicle-mounted device within a certain time from the start of communication, the control device displays that the display content of the display can be passed And when the gate is opened and normal information cannot be acquired from the vehicle-mounted device within a certain time from the start of communication, the control device continues to display on the display asking to stop the vehicle. Therefore, even if the driver is unaware of the failure of the in-vehicle device, forgetting to install the card, etc., and the vehicle speed is high, it is possible to reliably see the display requesting that the vehicle be stopped Become Flip effect of a situation that would rely on the vehicle to be that gate can be prevented is obtained.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an automatic fee collection system and a gate control device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main part showing an embodiment.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle device on a dashboard or the like.
2 is a first detector for detecting the vehicle 1, 3 is also a second detector for detecting the vehicle 1, and 4 is passing between the first detector and the second detector 3. A first antenna that performs wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle 1, 5 is a third detector for detecting the passage of the vehicle 1, and 6 is a roadside display that displays various information related to traffic to the driver of the vehicle. , 7 is a gate that can be opened and closed, 8 is a fourth detector for detecting the passage of the vehicle 1, and 9 is a second that performs wireless communication with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle 1 detected by the third detector 5. These antennas constitute an automatic toll collection system together with a lane server (control device) to be described later, and are arranged along the ETC lane at the toll gate on the entrance side of the interchange on the toll road.

As the ETC lane, and a dedicated lane that corresponds to the body of the vehicle equipped with a vehicle-mounted device, may be either mixed lanes corresponding to a vehicle that is not equipped with a vehicle-mounted device.
Here, for the first detector 2, the second detector 3, the third detector 5, and the fourth detector 8, for example, a sensor including a projector and a light receiver is used, and the light from the projector is used. It is configured to be guided to the light receiver directly or via a reflector.

The first detector 2 and the second detector 3 are arranged at a predetermined interval (for example, 4 meters), and the first antenna 4 is connected to the first detector 2 and the second detector 3. It is located between and is fixed at a position higher than the height of large buses and trucks.
The third detector 5 is located in front of the second detector 3, and the interval between the second detector 3 and the third detector 5 is the same as the first detector 2 and the second detector. It is set wider than the interval of the vessel 3.

The fourth detector 8 is located in front of the third detector 5, and the distance between the third detector 5 and the fourth detector 8 is the distance between the first detector 2 and the second detector 3. The roadside indicator 6 is provided so as to be located slightly in front of the third detector 5, and the gate 7 is provided in front of the fourth detector 8.
The second antenna 9 is disposed in front of the fourth detector 8 at a predetermined interval, and is fixed at a position higher than the height of a large bus or truck, like the first antenna 4.

Note that when the system of this embodiment is installed in the ETC lane of the exit-side toll gate, the third detector 5 and the second antenna 9 are omitted.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment. This system includes the first to fourth detectors 2, 3, 5, 8, the first and second antennas 4, 9, the roadside indicator 6, The lane server 10 includes a gate 7 and a lane server (control device) 10 shown in the figure. The lane server 10 includes a first storage unit 11 storing a program for control executed by the system, and traveling of the vehicle. It is composed of a billing table that associates sections (between interchanges) and tolls, a second storage unit 12 that stores information related to fee settlement, a control unit 13, and a radio control unit (not shown). The control unit 13 is connected to the first and fourth storage units 11 and 12 via the wireless control unit based on the stored programs and other information and the detection signals of the first to fourth detectors 2, 3, 5 and 8. With the second antennas 4 and 9, the in-vehicle device Performs signal, also has a controls the operations of roadside display 6, gate 7.

In the following description, description of the wireless control unit is omitted.
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a machine mounting car that will be installed in the vehicle 1, the vehicle device, the vehicle number of the vehicle 1 equipped with the vehicle-mounted device, the vehicle information of the vehicle type, and the like, such as large vehicles and small cars Stored storage unit 14, IC card slot 15 for inserting an IC card for fee settlement, display unit 16 such as an LCD (liquid crystal) displaying communication results with lane server 10, communication results with lane server, etc. The speaker 17 is configured to output sound, and the control unit 18 that controls the speaker 17 and has a communication function with the lane server.

The operation of the above configuration will be described.
First, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 is in a period from when the vehicle 1 traveling on the ETC lane is detected by the first detector 2 to when the vehicle 1 is detected by the second detector 3. One antenna 4 performs predetermined communication with an in-vehicle device installed in the vehicle 1.
For example, the control unit 13 requests information for passing through the gate by the first antenna 4, and the control unit 18 of the in-vehicle device responds to the request by the vehicle information stored in the storage unit 14 and the IC card slot 15 as the IC card slot 15. It transmits information such as the card number Tsu read from the card to the first antenna 4.

When the vehicle 1 is detected by the second detector 3 during this communication, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 displays the vehicle 1 on the roadside indicator 6 installed slightly ahead of the third detector 5. Characters or the like for requesting a stop are displayed, and the state where the gate 7 arranged in front of the roadside indicator 6 is kept closed is maintained.
If the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 can obtain normal information from the in-vehicle device within a certain time (for example, 1 second) from the start of communication, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 displays the roadside indicator 6. Is switched to display of characters or the like indicating that the display can be passed, and the gate 7 disposed in front of the roadside indicator 6 is opened as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 1 to stop the vehicle. Pass without. In this case, when the third detector 5 detects the passage of the vehicle 1, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 transmits information such as a toll gate name to the in- vehicle device by the second antenna 4, and receives the information. In the plane, information such as a toll gate name is written in the storage unit 14 by the control unit 18, and when the fourth detector 8 detects the passage of the vehicle 1, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 closes the gate 7.

  In addition, when the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 can obtain normal information from the in-vehicle device before the vehicle 1 is detected by the second detector 3 in the communication, the control unit of the lane server 10 13 displays characters and the like indicating that the vehicle can pass on the roadside indicator 6, opens the gate 7 and allows the vehicle to pass without stopping, and the third detector 5 allows the vehicle 1 to pass. Upon detection, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 transmits information such as a toll gate name to the in-vehicle device to the second antenna 9, and in the in-vehicle device that has received this information, the control unit 18 stores the information such as the toll gate name in the storage unit 14. When the information is written and the fourth detector 8 detects the passage of the vehicle 1, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 closes the gate 7.

On the other hand, when normal information could not be acquired within a certain period of time after starting communication, for example, when receiving information such as a card number missing due to forgetting to install a card, etc. The control unit 13 of the server 10 continues to display characters or the like indicating that the vehicle is to be stopped on the roadside indicator 6 and stops the vehicle 1 while keeping the gate 7 closed.
When the vehicle stops, the same treatment as before is performed.

In addition, when there is no response from the vehicle side to the request for information for passing the gate from the first antenna 4, the vehicle-mounted device is broken or the vehicle is not equipped with the vehicle-mounted device. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 is detected by the second detector 3, the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 detects that the control unit 13 of the lane server 10 is installed slightly ahead of the third detector 5. 6 displays a character or the like indicating that the vehicle 1 is to be stopped, and the vehicle 1 is stopped with the gate 7 kept closed.

  As described above, in this embodiment, when the first antenna 4 communicates with the in-vehicle device of the vehicle and the second detector 3 detects the vehicle before the communication ends, the lane server 10 displays on the roadside display 6 that the vehicle 1 is requested to stop, and when normal information can be acquired from the vehicle-mounted device within a certain time, the lane server 10 displays the display content of the roadside display 6. When the display is switched to the display indicating that the vehicle can pass and the gate is opened and normal information cannot be obtained from the vehicle-mounted device within a certain time, the lane server 10 stops the vehicle on the roadside display 6 as it is. The display to the effect is continued.

  Therefore, even if the driver is unaware of the failure of the in-vehicle device, forgetting to install the card, etc., and the vehicle speed is high, it is possible to reliably see the display requesting the stop and close It is possible to prevent the situation that the vehicle is hitting the gate, and it is possible to prevent the trouble caused by hitting the vehicle to the gate.

Explanatory drawing which shows an Example Block diagram showing an example of a lane server Block diagram showing an example of an in-vehicle device

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 1st detector 3 2nd detector 4 1st antenna 5 3rd detector 6 Roadside indicator 7 Gate 8 4th detector 9 2nd antenna 10 Lane server 11 1st memory | storage Unit 12 Second storage unit 13 Control unit 14 Storage unit 15 IC card slot 16 Display unit 17 Speaker 18 Control unit

Claims (2)

A first detector for vehicle detection, a second detector for vehicle detection arranged at a predetermined distance from the first detector, and an in-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle wirelessly An antenna for communication, a display disposed in front of the second detector, an openable / closable gate disposed in front of the display, and vehicle detection from the first and second detectors A control device for controlling the opening and closing of the gate according to the reception status of information and the communication by the antenna and the display of the display and the communication status of the vehicle-mounted device and the antenna in the second detector;
When the first detector detects the vehicle, the control device communicates with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle by an antenna,
When normal information cannot be acquired from the in-vehicle device when the second detector detects the vehicle, the display content of the display is a display for requesting the vehicle to stop,
When the second detector has detected normal information from the in-vehicle device when detecting the vehicle, the control device determines that the vehicle can pass and confirms the display. The display content is displayed to indicate that the vehicle can be passed, the gate is opened, and even if the second detector detects the vehicle before communication ends, the vehicle is mounted within a certain time. If normal information can be obtained from the machine, the control device can confirm that the vehicle is allowed to pass and can pass the display content of the display from a display requesting that the vehicle stop. An automatic toll collection system characterized in that the display is switched to a certain indication and the gate is opened. Vehicle detection information is received from a first detector for vehicle detection and a second detector for vehicle detection arranged in front of the first detector at a predetermined interval, and the vehicle is equipped with Wireless communication with an on-vehicle device by an antenna, display contents of a display disposed in front of the second detector, and communication status between the on-vehicle device and the antenna at the second detector And a gate control device for controlling opening and closing of an openable and closable gate disposed in front of the second detector at a predetermined interval.
When the first detector detects the vehicle, the antenna communicates with the vehicle-mounted device of the vehicle, and normal information can be acquired from the vehicle-mounted device when the second detector detects the vehicle. In this case, it is determined that the vehicle can pass, and the display content of the indicator is displayed to indicate that the vehicle can pass, the gate is opened, and the second detector If normal information cannot be acquired from the in-vehicle device when the vehicle is detected, the display content of the display is a display requesting that the vehicle is stopped, and the second before the communication ends. Even if the detector detects the vehicle, if normal information can be acquired from the in-vehicle device within a certain time, it is confirmed that the vehicle can pass and the display content of the display is displayed. Passage is possible from the indication that the vehicle is requested to stop Gate control device and controlling to open the gate with switching to the display of a certain fact.