JP7265919B2 - Fee management system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fee management system.

Patent document 1, for example, discloses a parking management system as an invention for managing entry and exit of vehicles in a parking lot. This parking management system acquires the vehicle number indicated by the license plate with a camera, stores the vehicle entry information and exit information in association with the vehicle number, and calculates the billed amount based on the recorded contents. In addition, the parking lot management system reads the payment type from the IC card possessed by the user, and settles the billed amount according to the read payment type.

JP-A-2005-346551

In the case of a configuration that requires a camera to identify a user, it is necessary to install the camera in the parking lot, which increases the labor and cost of installing the equipment. Moreover, when an IC card is used, it is necessary to install an IC card reader, which increases the labor and cost of installing equipment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a service while suppressing installation costs of equipment.

The present invention includes an outside vehicle detector that detects a vehicle outside the entrance/exit of a parking lot, an inside vehicle detector that detects a vehicle inside the entrance/exit, a gate bar that regulates vehicle traffic at the entrance/exit, When a vehicle enters the magnetic field generated by the outer vehicle detector, a beacon unit that transmits an outer detection beacon to a predetermined space including the outer vehicle detector and the inner vehicle detector; an information providing unit that receives a response to the outer detection beacon and transmits warehousing information to the terminal in response to the response; and when the information providing unit transmits the warehousing information, the gate bar is opened to pass through the entrance. a gate control unit for closing the gate bar when a vehicle passing through the doorway enters the magnetic field generated by the inside vehicle detector, wherein the beacon unit is generated by the inside vehicle detector. When a vehicle enters the magnetic field, an inner detection beacon is transmitted to the predetermined space, and the gate control unit receives a response to the inner detection beacon from the terminal, and calculates the usage fee for the parking lot calculated from the parking information. When completion information indicating that payment is completed is included in the response, the gate bar is opened to allow passage through the entrance, and the vehicle passing through the entrance is subjected to the magnetic field generated by the outside vehicle detector. A first aspect provides a toll control system that closes the gate bar when a passenger enters .

According to the fee management system of the first aspect, it is possible to provide services while suppressing installation costs of facilities.

The figure which showed an example of the charge management system 1 which concerns on this invention. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server device 20; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a gate device 30; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile terminal 10; FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining an operation example of the embodiment; FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining an operation example of the embodiment; FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining an operation example of the embodiment; FIG.

[Embodiment]
(Configuration of embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a fee management system 1 according to the present invention. The fee management system 1 is a system that manages usage fees for the parking lot 3 . The communication network 2 is a communication network that provides communication services such as voice communication and data communication. The communication network 2 includes the Internet, a fixed telephone network, a mobile communication network, and the like.

The mobile terminal 10 is a computer device that communicates via the communication network 2 . The mobile terminal 10 is an example of a user's terminal according to the present invention. The mobile terminal 10 is a smart phone, for example, and is used by a user of the parking lot 3 . The mobile terminal 10 is not limited to a smart phone, and may be a tablet terminal or feature phone that communicates via the communication network 2, a computer device specialized for data communication, or the like. The mobile terminal 10 communicates with a radio base station of the communication network 2 to perform voice communication and data communication. The mobile terminal 10 also has a short-range wireless communication function, and performs, for example, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication, which is one of extended specifications of Bluetooth (registered trademark).

The server device 20 is a device that manages usage fees for the parking lot 3 . The server device 20 calculates the usage fee based on the time that the user of the mobile terminal 10 uses the parking lot 3, and settles the parking fee.

The parking lot 3 is a parking lot having a plurality of compartments 4 . A business operator that manages the parking lot 3 provides a service of renting a plurality of vehicle compartments 4 by the hour. In the parking lot 3, a gate device 30 that regulates vehicle traffic at the entrance/exit of the parking lot 3, a vehicle detector 41 that detects vehicles outside the entrance/exit of the parking lot 3, and a vehicle detector 41 that detects vehicles inside the entrance/exit of the parking lot 3. A vehicle detector 42 for detecting is installed. The gate device 30 has a gate bar 31 that regulates the passage of vehicles. Opening the gate bar 31 allows the vehicle to pass through, and closing the gate bar 31 regulates the passage of the vehicle. The gate device 30 also has a function of short-range wireless communication, and communicates with the mobile terminal 10 through BLE communication.

The vehicle detectors 41 and 42 are loop coil type detectors, for example, and are installed underground and connected to the gate device 30 . The vehicle detectors 41 and 42 generate a magnetic field in the peripheral area by applying current to the loop coils. When a vehicle enters the magnetic field generated by the loop coil, the metal parts of the vehicle cause variations in the magnetic field. Vehicle detectors 41 and 42 detect that there is a vehicle above vehicle detectors 41 and 42 by detecting variations in the magnetic field. Vehicle detectors 41 and 42 will output the detection signal which shows having detected the vehicle to the gate apparatus 30, if a vehicle is detected.

(Configuration of server device 20)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the server device 20. As shown in FIG. A communication unit 205 is a communication interface that performs data communication via the communication network 2 . The storage unit 202 has a hard disk device and stores information related to the use of the parking lot 3 . The storage unit 202 stores, for example, a user ID that is an identifier of the user of the parking lot 3, a parking lot ID that identifies the parking lot 3, an entry date and time, an exit date and time, and a charge as usage information related to the use of the parking lot 3. . The storage unit 202 also stores a program that realizes a function of calculating the usage fee of the parking lot 3 and making a payment.

The control unit 201 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and executes programs stored in the storage unit 202 . When the CPU executes the program, the function of calculating and settling the usage fee for the parking lot 3 is realized.

The calculation unit 2001 calculates the usage fee for the parking lot 3 based on the date and time of entry, the date and time of departure, and the usage fee per unit time. The payment unit 2002 performs payment processing for the usage fee of the parking lot 3 . The information transmission unit 2003 transmits information indicating the usage fee and information indicating that payment of the usage fee has been completed to the mobile terminal 10 . Information acquisition unit 2004 acquires information transmitted from mobile terminal 10 .

(Configuration of gate device 30)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the gate device 30. As shown in FIG. A communication unit 305 is a communication interface that performs communication via the communication network 2 . The storage unit 302 is a non-volatile memory and stores a parking lot ID that identifies the parking lot 3 in which the gate device 30 is installed. The storage unit 302 also stores programs executed by the control unit 301 . A short-range communication unit 306 is a communication module that performs short-range wireless communication. The short-range communication unit 306 performs BLE communication and short-range wireless communication with the mobile terminal 10 . The driving unit 303 drives the gate bar 31 to raise or lower the gate bar 31 . The control unit 301 has a CPU and executes programs stored in the storage unit 302 to control each unit.

Beacon section 3001 controls short-range communication section 306 and transmits a beacon containing an advertising packet. The information providing unit 3002 provides various types of information to the mobile terminal 10 . The gate control unit 3003 controls the driving unit 303 to drive the gate bar 31 . The determination unit 3004 determines information transmitted from the mobile terminal 10 .

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile terminal 10. As shown in FIG. A communication unit 105 is a communication interface that performs communication via the communication network 2 . The short-range communication unit 106 performs BLE communication and short-range wireless communication with the gate device 30 . The storage unit 102 is a non-volatile memory and stores user IDs for identifying users. The storage unit 102 also stores application programs executed by the control unit 101 . The touch panel 103 is a device that combines a display device such as a liquid crystal display and a sensor that detects finger contact on the display surface of the display device. The touch panel 103 displays characters and a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Further, the touch panel 103 uses a sensor to detect the position touched by the user's finger.

The control unit 101 has a CPU, identifies the user's operation according to the position detected by the touch panel 103 and the screen displayed on the touch panel 103, and executes control of each unit and various processes according to the identified operation. do. Also, the CPU of the control unit 101 executes application programs stored in the storage unit 102 . Functions related to the use of the parking lot 3 are implemented by the CPU executing the application program.

The connection unit 1001 controls the short-range communication unit 106 to connect to the gate device 30 . The information acquisition unit 1002 acquires information transmitted by the gate device 30 and information transmitted by the server device 20 . The settlement instruction unit 1003 instructs the server device 20 to settle the usage fee for the parking lot 3 . Information providing unit 1004 provides various information to server device 20 or gate device 30 .

(Example of operation of embodiment)
Next, an operation example of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram for explaining an operation example when the user enters the parking lot 3. As shown in FIG. When the user of the mobile terminal 10 enters the parking lot 3 , the user starts the application program on the mobile terminal 10 (step SA<b>1 ), drives the vehicle, and approaches the gate device 30 . The mobile terminal 10 starts scanning beacons containing advertising packets (step SA2).

When the vehicle approaches the gate device 30 and enters the magnetic field generated by the vehicle detector 41, the vehicle detector 41 outputs a detection signal to the gate device 30, and the gate device 30 outputs the signal. A detection signal is obtained (step SA3). When the beacon unit 3001 of the gate device 30 acquires the detection signal from the vehicle detector 41, it transmits a beacon including a BLE advertising packet at a predetermined cycle (step SA4). Here, the radio wave intensity of the beacon is predetermined, and the beacon is transmitted within a predetermined space including the vehicle detectors 41 and 42 . At the position where the vehicle detector 41 detects a vehicle, the mobile terminal 10 reaches within the transmission range of the beacon and receives the beacon (step SA5). Upon receiving the beacon transmitted by the gate device 30, the connection unit 1001 of the mobile terminal 10 responds to this beacon and wirelessly connects to the gate device 30 through BLE communication (step SA6).

When the mobile terminal 10 is wirelessly connected to the gate device 30, the mobile terminal 10 requests the gate device 30 for the warehousing information (step SA7). The information providing unit 3002 of the gate device 30 transmits the warehousing information to the mobile terminal 10 in response to the request from the mobile terminal 10 (that is, the response to the transmitted beacon) (step SA8). The warehousing information includes the warehousing date and time, which is the date and time when the gate device 30 and the mobile terminal 10 are connected, and the parking lot ID. For example, the control unit 301 of the gate device 30 identifies the date and time when the wireless connection with the mobile terminal 10 is started as the warehousing date and time and includes it in the warehousing information. The information acquisition unit 1002 of the mobile terminal 10 receives the warehousing information. The mobile terminal 10 transmits the stored user ID and the received warehousing information to the server device 20 (step SA9). The information acquisition unit 2004 of the server device 20 receives the user ID and the warehousing information transmitted from the mobile terminal 10, and stores the user ID and the warehousing information in association with each other (step SA10).

When the gate device 30 transmits the warehousing information, the gate control unit 3003 controls the drive unit 303 to open the gate bar 31 (step SA11). The user of the mobile terminal 10 drives the vehicle and passes through the entrance. When a vehicle enters the magnetic field generated by the vehicle detector 42, the vehicle detector 42 outputs a detection signal to the gate device 30, and the gate device 30 acquires the detection signal output by the vehicle detector 42 (step SA12). ). Upon receiving the detection signal from the vehicle detector 42, the gate control section 3003 of the gate device 30 controls the drive section 303 to close the gate bar 31 (step SA13).

FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation when the usage fee for the parking lot 3 is settled. When the user of the mobile terminal 10 leaves the parking lot 3, the mobile terminal 10 executing the application program performs an operation to instruct the start of payment. When the mobile terminal 10 is operated to instruct the start of payment, it connects to the server device 20 (step SB1), and the information providing section 1004 transmits the stored user ID to the server device 20 (step SB2). . The information acquisition unit 2004 of the server device 20 receives the user ID, associates it with the received user ID, specifies the date and time when the user ID was received, and stores this date and time as the delivery date and time (step SB3).

The calculation unit 2001 of the server device 20 calculates the elapsed time from the date and time of warehousing included in the warehousing information stored in association with the received user ID to the date and time of warehousing stored in association with the received user ID. is calculated, and the usage fee for the parking lot 3 is calculated based on the calculated elapsed time and the usage fee per unit time (step SB4). The warehousing date and time is an example of a start parameter according to the present invention, and the warehousing date and time is an example of an end parameter according to the present invention. Server device 20 stores the calculated usage fee in association with the user ID (step SB5), and information transmitting section 2003 transmits fee information indicating the calculated usage fee to portable terminal 10 (step SB6).

Portable terminal 10 receives the fee information and displays the usage fee indicated by the received fee information on touch panel 103 (step SB7). The user performs an operation on the mobile terminal 10 to instruct payment of the usage fee. For payment of charges, for example, credit card payment is used. When an operation for instructing payment is performed, the payment instruction unit 1003 of the mobile terminal 10 transmits a payment message including the user ID and instructing the payment to the server device 20 (step SB8). Upon receiving the payment message, the payment unit 2002 of the server device 20 performs known payment processing using the user's credit card for the usage fee stored in association with the user ID included in the payment message (step SB9). ). When the payment processing for the usage fee is completed, the information transmission unit 2003 of the server device 20 transmits completion information indicating that the payment for the usage fee has been completed to the portable terminal 10 (step SB10). The information acquisition unit 1002 of the mobile terminal 10 receives the completion information transmitted by the server device 20, and the server device 20 stores the completion information (step SB11). Completion information is an example of payment information according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram for explaining an operation example when the user leaves the parking lot 3. As shown in FIG. When leaving the parking lot 3 , the user of the mobile terminal 10 starts an application program on the mobile terminal 10 (step SC<b>1 ), drives the vehicle, and approaches the gate device 30 . The mobile terminal 10 starts scanning beacons containing advertising packets (step SC2).

When the vehicle approaches the gate device 30 and enters the magnetic field generated by the vehicle detector 42, the vehicle detector 42 outputs a detection signal to the gate device 30, and the gate device 30 outputs the signal. A detection signal is obtained (step SC3). When the beacon unit 3001 of the gate device 30 acquires the detection signal from the vehicle detector 42, it transmits a beacon including a BLE advertising packet at a predetermined cycle (step SC4). Here, the radio wave intensity of the beacon is predetermined, and the beacon is transmitted within a predetermined space including the vehicle detectors 41 and 42 . At the position where the vehicle detector 42 detects a vehicle, the mobile terminal 10 reaches the transmission range of the beacon and receives the beacon (step SC5). Upon receiving the beacon transmitted by the gate device 30, the connection unit 1001 of the mobile terminal 10 wirelessly connects to the gate device 30 through BLE communication (step SC6).

When the information providing unit 1004 of the portable terminal 10 is wirelessly connected to the gate device 30, it transmits a response including the stored completion information to the gate device 30 (step SC7). The determination unit 3004 of the gate device 30 determines whether or not the information included in the received response is completion information corresponding to the fee calculated based on the date and time of entry and the date and time of delivery. When the received information is the completion information, the gate control unit 3003 of the gate device 30 controls the drive unit 303 to open the gate bar 31 (step SC8). The user of the mobile terminal 10 drives the vehicle and passes through the entrance. When a vehicle enters the magnetic field generated by the vehicle detector 41, the vehicle detector 41 outputs a detection signal to the gate device 30, and the gate device 30 acquires the detection signal output by the vehicle detector 41 (step SC9). ). Upon receiving the detection signal from the vehicle detector 41, the gate control section 3003 of the gate device 30 controls the drive section 303 to close the gate bar 31 (step SC10).

[Modification]
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be implemented in various other forms. For example, the present invention may be implemented by modifying the above-described embodiment as follows. It should be noted that the above-described embodiment and the following modified examples may be combined with each other.

In the present invention, the mobile terminal 10 may specify the date and time when the settlement operation is performed as the delivery date and time. In this case, the mobile terminal 10 calculates the usage fee of the parking lot 3 based on the parking date and time included in the acquired parking information, the departure date and time, and the usage fee per unit time, and the calculated usage fee is used. Payment may be instructed to the server device 20 .

In the above-described embodiment, the mobile terminal 10 transmits the user ID and the warehousing information to the server device 20, but in the present invention, the gate device 30 acquires the user ID from the mobile terminal 10 and acquires the warehousing information. A configuration may be adopted in which the user ID obtained by the user is transmitted to the server device 20 .

In the present invention, the gate device 30 may be configured to notify the portable terminal 10 that the completion information has been approved when it is determined that the information received in step SC7 is the completion information.

In the present invention, after the portable terminal 10 and the gate device 30 have started wireless connection in step SC6, the processing from step SB2 to step SB11 is executed. may be executed.

In the present invention, the gate device 30 and the mobile terminal 10 perform short-range wireless communication using BLE communication, but the communication is not limited to BLE communication. For example, the mobile terminal 10 and the gate device 30 may communicate by device-to-device communication conforming to the IEEE802.11 standard.

In the above-described embodiment, entry into the parking lot 3 and exit from the parking lot 3 are regulated by one gate device 30. is not limited to For example, the entrance and exit of the parking lot 3 may be located at different positions, the gate device 30 may be installed at the entrance to the parking lot 3 , and the gate device 30 may also be installed at the exit to the parking lot 3 .

In the present invention, the position of the mobile terminal 10 may be measured using a plurality of beacons using known technology for positioning using beacons. If the position of the mobile terminal 10 that has not been detected is the position of the vehicle detector 41, the gate device 30 may execute the processes from step SA4 onward. In this case, the gate device 30 closes the gate bar 31 when the detected position is the position of the vehicle detector 42 . In addition, when the position of the mobile terminal 10 that has not been detected is the position of the vehicle detector 42, the gate device 30 may execute the processes from step SC4 onward. In this case, the gate device 30 closes the gate bar 31 when the detected position is the position of the vehicle detector 41 . According to this modification, it is possible to easily detect the position and open and close the gate bar 31 without burying the vehicle detectors 41 and 42 in the ground.

In the present invention, instead of the mobile terminal 10 , a car navigation device equipped with a BLE communication function and mounted on the vehicle may perform the processing of the mobile terminal 10 . Further, the processing performed by the mobile terminal 10 may be performed by a device that is not carried by the user. In other words, this processing may be performed by a smart speaker having BLE communication function, or a computer device, an IC card, or the like, which is specialized for the present invention and which has BLE communication function and does not have an operation unit. may be

In the present invention, when leaving the vehicle from the parking lot 3, the user operates the portable terminal 10 running the application program to instruct the start of payment, but the timing of payment is limited to this. can't For example, the user may pay the usage fee for the parking lot 3 by purchasing goods or services at a commercial facility adjacent to the parking lot 3 and affiliated with the operating company of the parking lot 3 . In this case, for example, the user may settle the usage fee for the parking lot 3 using a coupon generated when paying a certain amount or more at a restaurant included in the above commercial facility.

Also, the user may make payments at the above-mentioned commercial facility with a credit card without using the mobile terminal 10 . In this case, the terminal of the commercial facility that received the payment stores information indicating the amount of the payment in the server device via the communication network 2 . A car navigation device equipped with a BLE communication function and mounted on a vehicle (that is, a user's terminal) receives information indicating the above-described payment amount and payment indicating payment from the server device via the communication network 2. It should be received as information.

In the present invention, the fee management system 1 is not limited to the configuration applied to the parking lot 3 . For example, the charge management system 1 may be applied to a karaoke room that is rented by the hour, a private room in an internet cafe, or a rental room. In this case, a gate device 30 may be installed at the doorway of the room rented by the hour to regulate entry and exit. Further, in this configuration, a motion sensor may detect that the user is outside the entrance and that the user is inside the entrance, and transmission of the beacon may be started when the user is detected.

Further, for example, the charge management system 1 may be applied to a locker that is rented by the hour and stores the belongings of the user. In this case, the electronic lock of the locker door is configured to have the same function as the gate device 30, and the motion sensor detects that the user is near the door, and when the user is detected, the transmission of the beacon is started. good too. In other words, the electronic lock opens the locker door instead of the gate device 30 opening the gate bar 31 to release the belongings of the user, and instead of the gate device 30 closing the gate bar 31, the locker is opened. lock the door and restrain the user's belongings.

Also, the fee management system 1 may be applied to a rental car service. When the fee management system 1 is applied to a rental car, the server device 20 may calculate the usage fee based on the remaining amount of gasoline or the amount of charge at the start and end of use, or based on the travel distance. Fees may be calculated. In addition, the server device 20, for example, images the appearance of the rental car at the time of rental and return with a camera or the like, and analyzes the state of scratches on the rental car at the start and end of use by image analysis, The usage fee may be calculated based on the analysis result.

That is, in the fee management system 1, the server device 20 may calculate the service fee based on a start parameter specified when starting use of the service and an end parameter specified when ending use of the service.

Further, in the charge management system 1, the server device 20 does not need to calculate the usage fee if it determines the usage fee of the service. For example, when the parking lot 3 adopts a so-called "daily rental" fee system in which the vehicle room 4 is rented on a daily basis, the server device 20 specifies the date of entry and the date of departure. Then, if the date of entry is equal to the date of exit, the server device 20 may determine a predetermined fee as the usage fee for the parking lot 3 .

Further, when the charge management system 1 is applied to a rental car, the gate device 30 and the portable terminal 10 communicate with each other when leaving the rental place, the gate device 30 drives the gate bar 31, and when returning to the rental place, the gate is closed. The device 30 and the mobile terminal 10 may communicate to drive the gate bar 31 .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Toll management system, 2... Communication network, 3... Parking lot, 4... Vehicle room, 10... Portable terminal, 20... Server apparatus, 30... Gate apparatus, 101... Control part, 102... Storage part, 103... Touch panel, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 105... Communication part, 106... Near field communication part, 201... Control part, 202... Storage part, 205... Communication part, 301... Control part, 302... Storage part, 303... Drive part, 305... Communication part, 306... Nearness Distance communication unit 1001 Connection unit 1002 Information acquisition unit 1003 Payment instruction unit 1004 Information provision unit 2001 Calculation unit 2002 Payment unit 2003 Information transmission unit 2004 Information acquisition unit 3001 ... beacon section, 3002 ... information provision section, 3003 ... gate control section, 3004 ... determination section

Claims (1)

an outside vehicle detector for detecting vehicles outside the entrance/exit of the parking lot;
an inner vehicle detector that detects a vehicle inside the doorway;
a gate bar for regulating vehicle traffic at the entrance;
a beacon unit that transmits an outer detection beacon to a predetermined space including the outer vehicle detector and the inner vehicle detector when a vehicle enters the magnetic field generated by the outer vehicle detector;
an information providing unit that receives a response to the outside detection beacon from a terminal of a user of the parking lot and transmits parking information to the terminal in response to the response;
When the information providing unit transmits the entering information, the gate bar is opened to allow passage through the doorway, and when a vehicle passing through the doorway enters the magnetic field generated by the inner vehicle detector, the gate bar is closed. a gate control unit;
The beacon unit transmits an inner detection beacon to the predetermined space when the vehicle enters a magnetic field generated by the inner vehicle detector,
The gate control unit receives a response to the inner detection beacon from the terminal, and the response includes completion information indicating that the payment for the parking lot usage fee calculated from the parking information has been completed. the gate bar is opened to allow passage through the doorway, and the gate bar is closed when the vehicle passing through the doorway enters the magnetic field generated by the outer vehicle detector.

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