JPH07239954A - Charge collecting and receiving system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent occurrence of such a mistake that an entry order of vehicles is judged reverse to an actual order by selecting with changeover any of plural antennas whose communication zone differs depending on the result of sensing by a vehicle height sensor and a vehicle speed sensor. CONSTITUTION:When a vehicle 3 having a radio card 4 comes to the system, a reader 20 commands a changeover device 11 to perform changeover operation based on a vehicle height signal from a vehicle height sensor 5 and a vehicle speed signal from a vehicle speed sensor 12. That is, when the vehicle speed of the vehicle sensed by the vehicle speed sensor 12 indicates a high speed, an antenna 9A having a wide communication zone is selected independently of the height of the vehicle. And, when the vehicle speed of the vehicle sensed by the vehicle speed sensor 12 indicates a low speed and the height of the vehicle is low as motorcycle, an antenna 9B having a narrow communication zone in selected. Thus, even when the height of the vehicle coming thereafter is high such as a large sized bus, the possibility of mis-judgement of the entry order reverse to the actual order is precluded and the required communication zone is secured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toll collection system for reading information from a wireless card attached to a vehicle passing through a toll booth and performing toll collection processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a contactless IC card in which an RFID tag for individual identification or an IC (integrated circuit) card has a wireless communication function is used in an FA (factory automation) system, a toll road toll collection system, and a parking lot system. It has begun to be put into practical use as an information medium used in the above (hereinafter, this type of information medium is generically referred to as a wireless card).

A conventional system using such a wireless card as an information medium will be described with reference to FIG. 3 by taking a toll road toll collection system as an example. In FIG. 3, 1
Is an approach path of the vehicle, 2 and 21 are islands for guiding the passage of the vehicle, 3 is a vehicle passing through the approach path, and 4 is a vehicle 3
It is a wireless card attached to.

The toll collection system includes a vehicle height detector 5 for measuring the vehicle height and a tread plate 6 for detecting the vehicle width and the number of axles of the vehicle.
And a vehicle number reading device 7 for reading the license plate
And a toll gate 8 installed on the approach path 1, an antenna 9, and a reader 10 for reading the information of the wireless card 4 received by the antenna 9.

In such a toll collection system, when the vehicle 3 enters the approach path 3 and passes through the communication area of the antenna 9, the wireless card 4 attached to the vehicle 3 and the reader 10 are connected to each other. Communication takes place and payment is made unattended. When paying this fee, the fee (billing amount) is determined based on the detection results of the vehicle height detector 5 and the tread 6.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional system, as shown in FIG. 4, a vehicle with a high vehicle height such as a large bus 15 passes behind a vehicle with a low vehicle height such as a motorcycle 14. In doing so, the wireless card 4 of the large bus 15 having a high vehicle height is placed in the communication area 1 of the antenna 9 before the wireless card 4 of the motorcycle 14 having a low vehicle height.
3, the system (reader 10) of the system may judge that the approach order is reversed from the actual order, that is, the large bus 15 is approaching first. It was In such a case, there is a problem in that the charge for the large-sized bus 15 (vehicle having a high vehicle) is erroneously applied to the motorcycle 14 (vehicle having a low vehicle height).

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to prevent the occurrence of an error in which the approach order of vehicles is judged to be opposite to the actual order, and to prevent the occurrence of an error between the wireless card installed in the vehicle. The purpose is to provide a fee collection system that enables stable communication in the Internet.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention detects the vehicle speed of a vehicle passing through a toll booth in addition to a vehicle height detector necessary for determining a vehicle charge (charge amount). A vehicle speed detector is provided, and a plurality of antennas having different communication areas and a switching means for switching the plurality of antennas according to the detection results of the vehicle height detector and the vehicle speed detector to select one of them are provided. It is characterized by having done.

[0009]

In the above structure, the communication area of the antenna for receiving the information of the wireless card attached to the vehicle can be selected according to the vehicle height and the vehicle speed of the vehicle entering the tollgate, and therefore the configuration shown in FIG. It is possible to prevent the vehicle from entering the vehicle in the reverse order, and to perform stable communication.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the toll collection system of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 when it is implemented in a toll road toll collection system. The same parts as those of the conventional toll road toll collection system shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an approach path of the vehicle, and 2, 2
Reference numeral 1 is an island for guiding the passage of vehicles, 3 is a vehicle passing through an approach road, and 4 is a wireless card attached to the vehicle 3.

A vehicle height detector 5 measures the vehicle height of the vehicle passing through the approach road 1. For the vehicle height detector 5, for example, a configuration in which a plurality of photoelectric switches are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a road, or a configuration using a light beam scanning sensor is applied.

Reference numeral 6 is a tread plate installed so as to cross the approach path 1. The tread plate 6 is configured to detect information about the size of the vehicle necessary for determining the vehicle type such as the vehicle width and the number of axles when the vehicle passes over the tread plate 6.

Reference numeral 7 is a vehicle number reading device for reading a license plate of a vehicle passing through the approach road 1. 8 is a toll gate. This toll gate 8 is located in front of the vehicle height direction 5 and the installation position of the treads 6 in the direction of travel of the vehicle.
Installed on top.

Reference numerals 9A and 9B are antennas for receiving information of a wireless card attached to a vehicle passing through the approach road 1. These antennas 9A and 9B are toll gate 8
, Are installed in different directions (angles). For example, the antenna 9A is installed such that its communication area (similar to the antenna 9 in the conventional system shown in FIG. 3) is located diagonally downward in the direction opposite to the vehicle traveling direction,
The antenna 9B is installed so that its communication area is located directly below. In this case, the communication area of the antenna 9A is wider than the communication area of the antenna 9B.

Reference numeral 11 is a switching device for switching the antennas 9A and 9B. The switching device 11 switches the antennas 9A and 9B according to an instruction based on a detection signal (vehicle height signal) of the vehicle height detector 5 and a detection signal (vehicle speed signal) of the vehicle speed detector 12 from a reading device 20 described later, Either one is connected to the reading device 20 side.

A vehicle speed detector 12 measures the vehicle speed of the vehicle passing through the approach road 1. The vehicle speed detector 12 is installed on the side of the approach road 1 between the vehicle height detector 5 and the toll gate 8 near the vehicle height detector 5, for example.

Reference numeral 20 is a reader for reading the information of the wireless card received by the antenna 9A or the antenna 9B.
This reading device 20 is based on the detection signal (vehicle height signal) of the vehicle height detector 5 and the detection signal (vehicle speed signal) of the vehicle speed detector 12 (different from the reading device 10 in the conventional system shown in FIG. 3). It also controls the switching device 11.

Next, the operation of the fee collection system shown in FIG. 1 will be described. First, when the vehicle 3 having the wireless card 4 enters the approach path 1 and passes over the tread 6, the vehicle height detector 5 detects the vehicle height of the vehicle 3. At the same time, the tread 6 detects the vehicle width, the number of axles, etc. of the vehicle 3, and the vehicle type determined by the vehicle width, the number of axles, etc. is detected.
The information of the detected vehicle height and vehicle type is read by the reading device 20, and the charge amount is determined.

When the vehicle 3 passes through the tread 6 on the approach road 1 and crosses the front of the installation position of the vehicle speed detector 12, the vehicle speed detector 12 detects the vehicle speed of the vehicle 3. The detection signal (vehicle speed signal) from the vehicle speed detector 12 is read by the reading device 2
Lead to zero. A detection signal (vehicle height signal) from the vehicle height detector 5 is also guided to the reading device 20.

The reading device 20 instructs the switching operation of the switching device 11 based on the vehicle height signal from the vehicle height detector 5 and the vehicle speed signal from the vehicle speed detector 12. The switching device 11 switches between the antenna 9A and the antenna 9B according to the instruction from the reading device 20, selects either one, and connects to the reading device 20. The vehicle height signal of the vehicle height detector 5 and the vehicle speed signal of the vehicle speed detector 12 may be input to the switching device 11, and the switching device 11 itself may determine the antenna to be selected.

The antenna switching conditions here are the first condition for selecting the antenna 9A having a wide communication area, and
There are two conditions, that is, the second condition for selecting the antenna 9B in the narrow communication area. The first condition is that the vehicle speed is higher than a certain reference speed, or the vehicle height is higher than a certain reference height even if the vehicle speed is slower than the reference speed. The second condition is that the vehicle speed is slower than the reference speed and the vehicle height is lower than a certain reference height.

The communication areas of the antennas 9A and 9B which are switched by the switching device 11 according to the above conditions are shown in FIG.
Shown in. In FIG. 2, 13A is selected when the first condition is satisfied (when the vehicle speed is higher than a certain reference speed, or when the vehicle speed is slower than the certain reference speed but the vehicle height is higher than a certain reference height). The communication area of the antenna 9A is shown. The communication area 13A of the antenna 9A is approximately the same as the communication area 13 of the antenna 9 (in the conventional system) shown in FIG. 4, and has a wide range and long communication time can be secured. Next, 13B shows the communication area of the antenna 9B selected when the second condition is satisfied (when the vehicle speed is lower than the reference speed and the vehicle height is lower than the reference height). The communication area 13B of the antenna 9B is narrower than the communication area 13A of the antenna 9A and the communication area 13 of the antenna 9 (in the conventional system) shown in FIG.

When the vehicle 3 whose vehicle speed is detected by the vehicle speed detector 12 reaches the communication area of the antenna selected by the switching device 12, the reading device 20 is attached to the vehicle 3 via the antenna. Communication is performed with the wireless card 4 to collect charges.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 3 detected by the vehicle speed detector 12 is high, the wide communication area 1 is irrespective of the vehicle height of the vehicle.
Antenna 9A with 3A is selected. In this case, the vehicle height of the vehicle 3 is low like the motorcycle 14 in FIG. 2, and the vehicle height of the vehicle (following vehicle) entering from behind is
Even if it is as high as the large-sized bus 15 in FIG. 2, since the vehicle 3 has a high vehicle speed and has a distance to the following vehicle, it is the first to reach the large communication area 13A first. It is the vehicle 3 concerned. Therefore, even if the antenna 9A having the wide communication area 13A is switched, there is no possibility that the approach order is judged to be reversed from the actual order. Moreover, since the range of the communication area 13A is wide, a long communication time can be secured.

Further, in the present embodiment, the vehicle speed detector 12
Even if the vehicle speed of the vehicle 3 detected by is low, when the vehicle height is high like the large-sized bus 15 in FIG. 2, the antenna 9A having the wide communication area 13A is selected as in the case where the vehicle speed is high. . In this case, since the vehicle height of the vehicle 3 is high, even if the vehicle height of the following vehicle is high, it is the vehicle 3 that has entered first to reach the large communication area 13A first. . Therefore, even if the antenna 9A having the wide communication area 13A is switched, there is no fear that the approach order is judged to be reversed from the actual order, and a long communication time can be secured.

Further, in the present embodiment, the vehicle speed detector 12
When the vehicle speed of the vehicle 3 detected by is low and the vehicle height is low like the motorcycle 14 in FIG. 2, the antenna 9B having the narrow communication area 13B is selected. In this case, even if the vehicle height of the following vehicle is high like the large-sized bus 15 in FIG. 2, since the range of the communication area 13B of the antenna 9B is narrow, this communication area 13
It is the vehicle 3 that has entered first that reaches B first. As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle speed of the entering vehicle is slow, and the vehicle height thereof is the motorcycle 1 in FIG.
4 is low, by switching to the antenna 9B having a narrow communication area 13B, even if the vehicle height of the vehicle approaching from behind is high as in the large bus 15 in FIG. However, there is no risk that it will be judged to be the opposite of the actual situation. The required communication area can be secured.

Although the present invention has been described above applied to a toll road toll collection system, the present invention can also be applied to a toll collection system such as a parking lot system. The present invention can also be applied to an FA system in which a wireless card is mounted on a mobile unit and wirelessly communicates with a base station. Further, the number of antennas is not limited to two, and three or more antennas having different communication areas can be switched and used.

[0029]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the communication area of the antenna for receiving the information of the wireless card attached to the vehicle according to the vehicle height and the vehicle speed of the vehicle entering the toll booth. Since this is selected, it is possible to prevent the following vehicle (the wireless card of the following vehicle) from reaching the communication area first because the vehicle height of the following vehicle is high, and determining the approach order of the vehicle in the opposite order from the actual situation. It is possible to realize stable communication. Also,
Even if a wide communication area is set, it is possible that the vehicle that enters first may reach the communication area first regardless of the vehicle height of the following vehicle (based on the vehicle height and vehicle speed of the vehicle). If it can be predicted, a sufficient communication time can be secured by switching to an antenna with a wide communication area.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a communication area of an antenna in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional toll road toll collection system.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a communication area of an antenna in the conventional system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Approach road, 2, 21 ... Island, 3
… Vehicle, 4… Wireless card, 5… Vehicle height detector,
6 ... Footboard, 7 ... Vehicle number reading device, 8 ... Toll gate, 9, 9A, 9B ... Antenna,
10, 20 ... Reading device, 11 ... Switching device,
12 ... Vehicle speed detector, 13, 13A, 13B ... Communication area, 14 ... Motorcycle, 15 ... Large bus.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A toll collection system that reads information from a wireless card attached to a vehicle passing through a toll booth and performs toll collection processing; and a vehicle height detector for detecting the height of a vehicle passing through the toll booth, A vehicle speed detector for detecting the speed of a vehicle passing through a place, a plurality of antennas with different communication areas for receiving information of a wireless card attached to the vehicle, the vehicle height detector and the vehicle speed detector It is provided with a switching means for switching the plurality of antennas in accordance with a detection result to select any one of them, and a reading means for reading information of the wireless card via the antenna switched by the switching means. Toll collection system.