NZ605541A - Control devices and methods for a road toll system - Google Patents

Abstract

Patent 605541 A control system for a road toll system which is based on onboard units carried by vehicles and a control method for a road toll system are disclosed. The control system for a road toll system comprises at least one marking vehicle, at least one on-board unit, and at least one control unit, each comprises a DSRC transceiver for establishing a DSRC radio interface. The marking vehicle is configured to detect a traffic or toll violation of an on-board unit, or of a vehicle carrying the same, and, if a violation exists, to transmit a marker to the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface. The on-board unit is configured to determine the position thereof and, upon receipt of a marker, to periodically broadcast position messages containing the respective current position thereof, and the control unit is configured to detect the vehicle carrying the on-board unit based on at least one of the position messages broadcast by the on-board unit. unit, each comprises a DSRC transceiver for establishing a DSRC radio interface. The marking vehicle is configured to detect a traffic or toll violation of an on-board unit, or of a vehicle carrying the same, and, if a violation exists, to transmit a marker to the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface. The on-board unit is configured to determine the position thereof and, upon receipt of a marker, to periodically broadcast position messages containing the respective current position thereof, and the control unit is configured to detect the vehicle carrying the on-board unit based on at least one of the position messages broadcast by the on-board unit.

Description

Patents Form No. 5 NZ. No. 605541 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION L DEVICES AND METHODS FOR A ROAD TOLL SYSTEM We, KAPSCH TRAFFICCOM AG, an Austrian company, of Am Europlatz 2, A-1120 Wien, Austria, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the ing statement:- — 1 — (Followed by 1A) —1A- Control Devices and Methods for a Road Toll System The t invention relates to control systems and s for a road toll system which is based on on-board units carried by vehicles.

In modern road toll systems, vehicles subject to tolls are ed with on—board units (OBUs), which can be used to locate the vehicles so as to then charge tolls (fees) for their usage of the road. The OBUs can take on a variety of designs: The OBUs can be of the "self-locating" type, which is to say, they can continually ine the locations thereof themselves, for example by means of a satellite navigation receiver as part of a satellite navigation system (global navigation satellite system, GNSS) and report the ons thus determined tion fixes") either directly to a back office of the road toll system, be it via a mobile communication network or a network of geographically distributed radio beacons, or in the form of "abstracted" toll transactions, which are calculated based on the reported positions. As an alternative, such GNSS OBUs could simply store the reported positions or toll ctions thereof, or debit the fees calculated based thereon from an internal toll credit account. The OBUs can also be of the "externally located" type, for example using a plurality of toll or radio beacons which are geographically distributed over the road toll system and which establish the tive short range communication or DSRC (dedicated short range communication) with passing OBUs and localize them with respect to the known beacon locations thereof due to the limited ication range. Corresponding reported positions, or toll transactions calculated based thereon, can then be generated by the OBUs or the toll beacons and processed either in the OBUs or in the back office.

It is the object of the ion to create novel control devices and methods for ascertaining and enforcing traffic or toll violations in such road toll systems.

This object is achieved in a first aspect of the invention by a control system of the type mentioned above, sing: at least one marking vehicle, at least one on-board unit, and at least one l unit, each comprising a DSRC transceiver for establishing a DSRC radio ace, n the marking vehicle is configured to detect a traffic or toll violation of an on-board unit, or of a vehicle carrying the same, and, if a violation exists, to transmit a markerto the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface, wherein the on—board unit is configured to determine the position thereof and, upon receipt of a , to periodically broadcast position messages containing the respective current position thereof, and wherein the control unit is configured to detect the vehicle carrying the on-board unit based on at least one of the position messages broadcast by the on-board unit.

In a second aspect, the invention creates an rd unit for a road toll system, comprising a unit for determining the on-board unit's own position and a DSRC transceiver for establishing a DSRC radio interface, which is configured to periodically broadcast position messages containing the tive current position thereof upon t of a marker in the DSRC transceiver.

In a third aspect, the ion creates a control method for a road toll system which is based on on-board units carried by vehicles, using at least one marking vehicle, at least one on-board unit and at least one control unit, each comprising a DSRC transceiver for establishing a DSRC radio interface, comprising the following steps: in the marking vehicle: detecting a traffic or toll violation of an on-board unit, or of a e carrying the same, and, if a violation exists, transmitting a marker to the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface; in the on-board unit: periodically determining the unit's own position upon receipt of a marker and broadcasting position messages containing the respective current position thereof; in the control unit: detecting the vehicle carrying the rd unit based on at least one of the position messages broadcast by the on-board unit.

The invention is based on the novel approach of a distributed control system, which is composed of a first fleet of marking vehicles ("hunters"), which electronically "mark" ing vehicles, and a second fleet of control units ("catchers"), which pick up ing vehicles thus marked. The "hunters" are well—equipped for automatic violation detection and are not required to take any further action for violating vehicles than that of marking the same; their interactions with the controlled es are brief, and consequently they can move about y and even check vehicles traveling at high speed or in opposing traffic, and their number can be kept low, whereby the overall equipment costs are contained. The rd units must only be equipped with little additional functionality so as to wirelessly identify themselves, quasi on their own, as an OBU of a "marked" violating vehicle. The "catchers" require atively little equipment because they do not ascertain ions, but only detect emissions of marked OBUs and thus track down violating vehicles. The crew of the control unit can then, for example, stop the violating vehicle and conduct a local manual check. Because of the low equipment requirements, l units (catchers) can be provided in large numbers and can thus also specifically conduct time-consuming local inspections.

For example, existing infrastructure lations such as border or toll stations, fleets of special—purpose vehicles such as emergency vehicles, means of public transportation, taxis and the like, can be ted into control units and perform the control functions thereof in stationary fashion or in mobile fashion, in stopped traffic or moving traffic, while a few complex recording vehicles (hunters) continually move through moving traffic in a highly mobile fashion and mark violating OBUs. As a result, automatic ls of vehicles, including the on—board units thereof, can be carried out even in large, broadly branched road systems that contain high—speed and opposing traffic routes.

The s and s of the invention are suited both for (DSCR) OBUs of the externally located type that already comprise a DSRC radio interface, and for (GNSS) OBUs of the self-locating type that additionally comprise a DSRC radio interface for control and setting The number of control units is preferably erably higher than that of marking vehicles, in particular preferably higher by at least a power of ten.

It is particularly advantageous if, upon receipt of a marker, the on- board unit periodically broadcasts the position messages only over a limited period of time, or only for a limited number of position messages.

This will prevent violating vehicles that are not picked up within an able time frame from incessantly continuing to broadcast the position messages thereof.

The violations detected by the marking vehicle can include all types of toll or traffic violations that can be automatically detected, for example speeding violations detected by means of a speed measuring unit of the marking vehicle, bans on driving (including time-based bans) detected by means of a e detection unit of the marking vehicle, and the like. The violations are preferably toll violations, and in particular such which can be ascertained based on atoll parameter that can be read out from the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface. Such toll parameters can be of any arbitrary type and can, for example, e information about the deployment purpose of the vehicle (for example emergency e, means of public transportation, private e, truck and the like), the status of the user of the vehicle, about the size, weight, emission class, number of axles of the e, and the like. Any time a toll is calculated, be it during communication with a toll beacon or the calculation of toll transactions from reported positions, the toll parameters of the OBU are employed so as to determine the amount of the toll - or whether an obligation to pay the toll even exists.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is thus characterized in that the detection in the marking e takes place in that at least one toll parameter is read out from the on—board unit via the DSRC radio interface and the toll parameter is checked for accuracy.

In still a further aspect, the invention relates specifically to checking vehicle shape-specific toll parameters. Such e shape— specific parameters, which determine the amount of a road toll to be paid, can be, for e, the dimensions of the vehicle, the current number of axles (with or without trailer), a particular body design such as a truck or passenger car, and the like, and can be set or stored as toll parameters in an rd unit. 80 as to detect e faulty settings of such toll parameters, the marking vehicle comprises a sensor, preferably a laser inder or a laser scanner, for detecting a shape parameter of a vehicle carrying the on-board unit, and ascertains the accuracy of the toll parameter depending on the shape parameter.

In those embodiments of the invention in which the detection of a violation in the g vehicles is based on checking the toll parameters set in the on-board units, according to a further red characteristic of the ion the toll parameter can also be read out by the control unit from the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface as part of the detection of a violating vehicle by the control unit, provided the position indicated in a position message that is received by the control unit is within the range of the DSRC radio interface of the control unit, and can be yed in the control unit, so as to allow renewed ng or validation of the toll parameter and of the toll violation.

On—board units marked as having committed a violation can broadcast the position messages thereof in a wide variety of ways.

According to a first embodiment, the on-board units broadcast the position messages via the DSRC transceiver thereof, so that they can be received, for example, by DSRC radio beacons on the way, or preferably directly by the control units via the respective DSRC transceiver of the same. Because of the limited range of the DSRC radio interface, the control units can detect passing violating vehicles simply based on the fact that the position messages were successfully received via the DSRC radio ace, and thus track them down or localize them. in an alternative embodiment, the on—board units transmit the position messages thereof via a mobile communication network (public land mobile network, PLMN), for example a GSM, UMTS or LTE network, to a back office, which forwards the position messages to the control units. Based on the respective positions ted in the position messages, these control units can then localize and detect the violating In both embodiments, when the marking vehicle transmits a marker, it can additionally transmit a violation e via a mobile communication network to the back office for further checking and/or archiving. The violation messages can preferably also be fonNarded by the back office to the control units and used in the control units to cross- check read—out toll parameters.

In a further embodiment of the invention, violation messages that are received at the back office can also be used to return a confirmation message for every violation e that is received via the mobile communication k to the on—board unit cited in the violation message. The oneboard unit can then be configured to await such a confirmation message before periodically broadcasting the position es. As a result, system security can be sed and, for example, additional ization verifications can be carried out at the back office.

If the on—board unit has not received a confirmation message for a marker within a predetermined waiting , the on-board unit ably ignores the received marker, so that the position messages are then not broadcast.

In any case, it is particularly advantageous if the broadcasting of the position messages can be vated in the on-board unit at any time by the back office via the mobile communication k, so as to be able to centrally intervene in the event of malfunctions.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the control unit is a l e, this vehicle can be equipped with a unit for determining the vehicle's own position, preferably a satellite navigation receiver, and can register the position thereof with the back office, so as to receive only violation messages that relate to the vehicle's vicinity from the back office. This way an additional security step can be implemented for the system by requiring that a ponding violation message must be present at the back office for OBUs marked as having committed a violation, wherein the control units check the message before a violation is enforced for the vehicle of a violating OBU that is picked up.

Yet another security verification step can be implemented by equipping the marking vehicle with a read unit for a license plate number of a vehicle carrying the on—board unit and adding the license plate number to the violation message, wherein the control unit likewise comprises a read unit for the vehicle license plate number and uses this number to select the violation message for the check.

According to a further red characteristic of the invention, the marking vehicle can also be equipped with a unit for measuring the speed and driving direction of a passing vehicle and can add these measured values to the marker and/or the violation message so as to facilitate the validation of the violation. onal characteristics and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, which reference the accompanying drawings, in which: shows a schematic ew of the operating principle of the control devices and of the control method of the invention in a vehicle population of a road system; FIGS. 2a and 2b show different device ents and method steps when a vehicle to be lled passes a g vehicle; FIGS. 3a and 3b show different device components and method steps when a vehicle to be controlled passes a control unit; FIGS. 4a and 4b are flow charts of two different embodiments of the part of the method that takes place in the marking vehicle; is a block diagram of an on-board unit according to the invenfion; is a flow chart of the part of the method that takes place in the on—board unit; is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the part of the method that takes place at the back office and in the control unit; and is a flow chart of an alternative embodiment of the part of the method that takes place in the control unit. is a schematic illustration of a road toll system 1, in which a plurality of vehicles 2 that are subject to tolls move about on a road system, which is not shown in detail, for example a nationwide road system. The road toll system 1 is used to charge tolls (fees) for arbitrary road usages by the vehicles 2, and more specifically both usages of traffic areas of moving traffic in form of roadway, ory, passage or border tolls, and of traffic areas of d traffic in form of visitation or parking fees.

For this purpose, according to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 all vehicles 2 that are subject to tolls are equipped with on-board units (OBUs) 3, which can be used to locate the vehicles 2 and consequently they can be charged tolls. The OBUs 3 can take on a variety of designs: The OBUs 3 can be of the locating" type, which is to say, they can continually determine the locations thereof themselves, for example by means of a satellite navigation receiver 29 ( as part of a satellite navigation system (global navigation ite system, GNSS) and report the locations thus determined ("position fixes") either directly to a back office 4 of the road toll system 1, be it via a mobile communication network or a network of geographically distributed radio beacons, or in the form of acted" toll transactions, which are ated based on the reported positions. As an alternative, such GNSS OBUs 3 could simply store the reported positions or toll transactions f, or debit the fees ated based thereon from an internal toll credit account. The OBUs 3 can also be of the "externally located" type, for example using a plurality of toll or radio beacons which are geographically distributed over the road toll system 1 and which establish the respective short range communication or DSRC (dedicated short range communication) with passing OBUs 3 and localize them with respect to the known beacon locations thereof due to the limited communication range. Corresponding reported positions, or toll transactions calculated based thereon, can then be generated by the OBUs 3 or the toll beacons and processed either in the OBUs 3 or in the back office 4.

So as to correctly calculate the toll in the road toll system 1, one or more toll parameters 00 that are specific to the respective vehicle 2 are set or stored in the OBUs 3. The toll parameters 00 can be of any arbitrary type and can, for example, e information about the deployment purpose of the vehicle 2 (for e emergency vehicle, means of public transportation, private vehicle, truck and the like), the status of the user of the vehicle 2, about the size, weight, on class, number of axles of the vehicle 2 with or without trailer, and the like. Any time a toll is calculated, be it during communication with a toll beacon or the calculation of toll transactions from ed positions, the toll parameters OC of the OBU 3 are employed so as to determine the amount of the toll - or whether an obligation to pay the toll even exists.

In another example, toll parameters 00 that are considered include in particular those which can be validated (cross-checked) by checking the exterior appearance, which is to say the shape of the vehicle 2 which carries the OBU 3. Such toll parameters 00 are referred to as vehicle pecific in this invention. Vehicle shape—specific toll ters 00 can, for example, include one or more dimensions of the vehicle 2, the body design thereof (boxy body, platform body, passenger car or truck body), number of axles, number of trailers, and the like.

The l devices and methods described hereafter are suitable in particular for those OBUs 3, the vehicle shape-specific toll parameters 00 of which set or stored therein can be read out via a DSRC radio interface 31 (, as is the case, for example, with DSRC OBUs according to the RFID, CEN—DSRC, UNl—DSRC, ITS—GS or WAVE (wireless access in a vehicle environment) rds. GNSS OBUS 3, which additionally contain a DSRC radio interface 31 for ut of the toll parameters thereof for control es, are also suited and can be checked in the manner described below.

Moreover, the control devices and methods described herein are, of course, also able to ascertain whether a e 2 that is subject to toll is even equipped with an OBU 3 and - since the read—out of toll parameters requires a correctly functioning OBU 3 - check the functionality of an OBU 3.

Finally, the described control devices and methods are also able to detect and enforce general traffic violations of the vehicles 2, such as speeding ions, transgressions of (night) driving bans and other traffic offenses, insofar as they can be automatically detected by means of measuring units, sensors and the like.

A l device is used in the road toll system 1 for the aforementioned control purposes, which is composed of a first fleet of marking vehicles 5, the aforementioned OBUs 3, a second fleet of control units (here: control es 6), and ally a violation server 7 in the -11_ back office 4. Instead of, or in addition to, the mobile control vehicles 6, it is also possible to provide stationary control units, for example toll or border stations. The description provided below with respect to control vehicles 6 applies to all types of control units.

Preferably a considerably higher number of control vehicles 6 than marking vehicles 5 is provided. The ratio of the number of control vehicles 6 to marking vehicles 5 is preferably at least 10:1, and preferably 100:1, 1000:1 and more. As will be described below, l vehicles 6 have a simpler design than marking vehicles 5 and are ed with a different movement behavior, which results in a balanced coverage ratio of the s of action of marking and control vehicles at minimal costs.

The marking vehicles 5 move continually in flowing traffic, and the interactions f with the vehicles 2 to be controlled are brief, while the control vehicles 6 can be used both in mobile and in stationary n and have longer interactions with the vehicles 2 being controlled if they conduct stop checks or enforce toll violations.

As is shown in the overview in the marking vehicles 5 are used to detect es 2 that commit a traffic or toll violation, for example a ng violation, or that contain a faulty or incorrectly set OBU 3, or none at all, which hereinafter are referred to as violating vehicles 2', in the respectively defined detection ranges 8, and to onically "mark" the OBUs 3 of these es via the DSRC radio interface, as will be described in more detail hereafter based on FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. The control vehicles 6 are used to check violating vehicles 2' that are d in the respective surroundings 9 based on the position messages that are broadcast by the OBUs 3, as will be described in more detail hereafter based on FIGS. 3 and 7.

The crew of the control vehicle 6 can then take the appropriate further verification and enforcement measures, for example stop the violating vehicle 2', conduct a traffic check, charge a subsequent toll, impose a fine and the like.

In on to the DSRC radio interfaces between the marking vehicles 5 and the OBUs 3, and between the OBUs 3 and control vehicles 6, the marking es 5 and/or the OBUs 3 and/or the control vehicles 6 can be connected to each other and/or to the back office 4 via a wireless network, for example a mobile communication network, in particular a GSM, UMTS or LTE k, preferably via packet-switched connections. As an ative, it is also conceivable to utilize a network of geographically buted radio beacons in the road toll system 1, for example a DSRC radio beacon, via which the marking vehicles 5, OBUs 3 and l vehicles 6 communicate.

FIGS. 2a and 2b show one of the g vehicles 5 in detail at two consecutive times as a vehicle 2 on a road 10 passes in opposing traffic. The marking vehicle 5 is equipped with a DSRC transceiver 11 for DSRC radio communication with the OBU 3 of the vehicle 2, a license plate number read unit 12 for automatically reading (optical character recognition, OCR) a e plate 13 of the vehicle 2, and a sensor 14, which here is a laser scanner, for detecting a parameter of the outside shape of the vehicle 2, which hereinafter is referred to as the shape parameter CL.

In the present example, the shape parameter CL is a vehicle class ("passenger car", "truck with two axles", "truck with three axles", "truck with four axles", "truck with trailer”, and the like); however, of course any other property of the outside shape of the e 2 which can be determined by way of the sensor 14 can serve as the shape parameter CL, similarly to the aforementioned vehicle shape—specific toll parameter The sensor 14 for detecting the shape parameter CL can be designed in any manner that is known from the prior art, for example in form of an electronic , which can record one or more images of the passing vehicle 2, including from different viewing angles, with these images then being used to extract corresponding properties and shape parameters of the vehicle 2 by means of image recognition software. As an alternative, the sensor 14 can be a light-section sensor, or a radar or laser rangefinder or scanner, which scans the vehicle 2 as it passes using a light, radar or laser beam or fan 15 so as to detect one or more dimensions or contours of the passing vehicle 2 in form of a scanning profile or a scanning point cloud.

The license plate number read unit 12 of the marking vehicle 5 carries out an OCR read process known from the prior art of an official license plate number LPN on the license plate 13 of the vehicle 2 ("automatic license plate number recognition", ALNR); the imaging path or information flow is shown schematically with the arrow 16.

The DSRC transceiver 11 of the marking e 5 establishes DSRC radio communication 17 with the OBU 3 so as to read out the toll parameter 00 set or stored in the OBU 3 for the further examination.

During this examination, the read-out toll parameter DC of the OBU 3 should be consistent with the shape parameter CL of the vehicle 2 detected by the sensor 14. For example, if the toll parameter 00 indicates "three—axle , the sensor 14 should also detect a shape parameter CL that is tent therewith; if not, a toll violation exists and the vehicle 2 is a ing vehicle 2'.

Of course, a toll ter OC that is read out from the OBU 3 can additionally be dependent on components other than the vehicle shape, for example the status or usage purpose of the vehicle 2, the time, the general temporal conditions (for example night driving ban), vehicle emission class restrictions, speeds, and the like, which can likewise be taken into eration when checking the ion.

In addition, the marking vehicle 5 can also ascertain violations other than toll violations, for example general traffic violations of a vehicle 2, for example speeding ions. To this end, the g e 5 can be equipped with a unit 18 for measuring the speed and the driving direction, which is to say the movement vector v, of a vehicle 2. The ing unit 18 can also be implemented by a license plate number read unit 12 which is designed as a video camera and in the images of which movements can be detected, or by a DSRC transceiver 11 designed as a Doppler radar, or by riate ements using the sensor 14, for example laser or LIDAR measurements on the scanning beam or fan 15.

All components, these being the DSCR transceiver 11, license plate number read unit 12, sensor 14, and measuring unit 18, of the marking vehicle 5 are connected to each other — ally via a controller (not shown) — and the recording vehicle 2 can, as described, communicate with the back office 4 or the violation server 7 ssly via a communication unit (not shown).

‘The operating principle of the marking vehicle 5 and the marking s that takes place when a vehicle 2 passes will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4a for a vehicle shape- specific toll violation. When the vehicle 2 approaches the marking vehicle , in a first step 19 the license plate number LPN of the e 2 is read from the license plate 13 using a license plate number read unit 12 (arrow 16). The step 19 can also be carried out at any later time of the method of as long as the license plate number read result LPN is not yet required, for example this can be done at a later time by reading the rear license plate 13 of the vehicle 2. uently, in a step 20, the shape parameter CL of the vehicle 2 is detected by way of the sensor 14, in the example shown this is done by laser scanning and detecting the number of axles of the vehicle 2, based on which an axle—based vehicle class ("class") is determined as the shape parameter CL.

In a subsequent decision step 21, it is checked based on the shape parameter CL whether or not the vehicle 2 is even subject to tolls.

Two—axle vehicles 2, for example, can be defined as not being subject to tolls, and vehicles 2 with more than two axles can be defined as being subject to tolls. If the shape parameter CL tes an obligation to pay tolls (branch " "), in the subsequent step 22 contact is established with the OBU 3 using the DSRC transceiver 11 (arrow 17). The toll parameter CC is read out from the OBU 3 for this purpose, and a successful read— out also indicates that the OBU 3 is present and functioning. The uent decision step 23 then switches directly to step 40 for generating a violation message DLM 39 if the readout fails (branch "n").

Otherwise (branch "y" of step 23), it is checked in the further decision 24 whether the detected shape parameter CL and the read-out toll parameter OC match or are consistent with each other, which is to say the toll parameter DC of the OBU 3 is set such that it corresponds to the shape parameter CL that has been detected based on the outside shape of the vehicle 2. if so (branch "y"), everything is fine and the method ends at 26. If not (branch n ), an inconsistency exists, which constitutes a ial toll violation, and the s switches to step 25 for g the OBU 3 as a "violating OBU" of a "violating vehicle" 2'.

Of course steps 19 to 24 — provided they do not require each other - can also be carried out in a different order.

In the marking step 25, a marker (MRK) 27 is transmitted from the marking e 5 via the DSRC radio interface 17 between the DSRC transceivers 11 and 31 to the OBU 3 of the vehicle 2. The processing of the marker 27 in the OBU 3 will be described in more detail based on FIGS. 5 and 6.

According to the OBU 3 comprises a processor 28, the satellite navigation unit 29, for example a GPS receiver, a communication module 30 for a mobile communication network, and the DSRC transceiver 31. The satellite tion receiver 29 can be ated in the case of externally located DSRC OBUs 3. The mobile communication network communication module 30 is also optional.

According to the marker 27 is received in the OBU 3 in a first step 32. Upon receipt of the marker 27, the OBU 3 starts with a loop —16— process 33, within the scope of which it continually — for example at regular or irregular intervals - determines its own position P08 in a step 34, and broadcasts the same in a step 35 as a position message 36, ically via the DSRC transceiver 31. As an alternative or in addition, the position message 36 could also be sent via a mobile communication network using the mobile communication k communication module , and more specifically to the violation server 7 of the back office 4 or optionally also to control es 6.

The marker 27 thus basically sets a "flag" 37 in the OBU 3, which marks the same as a "violating OBU" and prompts it to continually emit position messages 36 containing its own position POS.

The loop process 33 is preferably carried out only over a limited period of time, for example a few ten s or several hours, or only for a limited number of passes, so that position messages 36 are broadcast only over this period of time or in this number. shows a simplified variant of the method in the marking vehicle 5, for example for detecting general traffic ions. In a general first step 38, a violation of the e 2 is detected, for example a toll offense as described in , or a speeding violation, for example by way of the measuring unit 18 of the marking vehicle 5. In the subsequent step 25, the marker 27 is transmitted via the DSRC radio interface 17 to the OBU 3, which starts the broadcast loop 33 (.

Coming back to , in a step 40, the marking vehicle 5 can optionally, in addition to the marker 27, also ast a violation message ("delict message", DLM) 39 to a back office 40, or more particularly to the violation server 7, preferably via a mobile communication k. The violation e 39 contains data about the violation, for e the speed of the vehicle, the detected shape parameter CL, the read—out toll parameter 00 and/or the license plate number read result LPN, as well as optionally additional data, such as the current location ("location of the violation") DO and the current time ("time -17_ of the violation") DT of the marking operation, additional master data read out from the OBU 3, such as the OBU identifier OID, user master data, vehicle master data, and the like.

The on of the violation DO can be determined in a wide variety of ways: The marking vehicle 5 can be equipped with a te position determination unit, for example a satellite tion receiver, and record the current location of the vehicle's passage as the location of the violation DO. As an alternative, the OBU 3, in particular if it is of the self-locating type, can make the current position POS thereof, determined by the satellite navigation unit 29, ble to the recording vehicle 5 as the location of the violation DO. The known locations of neighboring radio beacons of a beacon—based road toll system 1 can also be used for approximation.

The violation message 39 is subsequently made available by the violation server 7 to the control vehicles 6 for additional review purposes, as will be described in more detail hereafter. The back office 4, or the violation server 7 thereof, can return a confirmation message 27' (, for example for every violation e 39 that is received, to the OBU 3 ned in the violation message 39 — for example referenced by way of the OBU identifier OlD - via the mobile ication network. During a waiting step 32' provided upstream of the loop process 33, the OBU 3 can then await the arrival of such a confirmation message 27'.

In addition, if no such confirmation message 27' arrives from the back office 4 within a predetermined waiting period in the waiting step 32', the marker 27 usly received in step 32 can be ignored, which is to say the broadcasting of the on messages 36 is eliminated (arrow 27").

In addition, an option may be provided so as to suppress the broadcasting of the position messages 36 of an OBU 3 at any time by the back office 4, for example by way of a ponding abortion message, which the back office 4 transmits via the mobile communication network —18- to the OBU 3, whereupon the same aborts the loop process 33 (arrow 33').

The steps that take place in the violation server 7 and an exemplary control vehicle 6 will be described based on FIGS. 3 and 7a.

FIGS. 3a and 3b show the ion as a l vehicle 6 passes a vehicle 2 at two consecutive times. In preparation for (or during) such a check, the violation server 7 can selectively provide the control vehicles 6 with those violation messages 39 that originate from violations in the respective surroundings 9 thereof.

For this purpose, every control vehicle 6 registers with its own position LOC in the violation server 7 during a registration phase 41. The current position LOC of the control vehicle 6 can be autonomously determined by the same, for example, in a position ination step 42, such as with the aid of a ite tion receiver, based on information from oring beacons, or the like. As an alternative, the on LOC can also be manually entered by the user in an input unit of the control vehicle 6 in step 42.

During the subsequent registration step 43, the control vehicle 6 registers with the position LOC f in the ion server 7, which opens a dedicated task 44 for every registered control vehicle 6.

Using the task 44, the violation server 7 can "filter" (phase 45) all violation messages 39 that have arrived in step 40, and those that arrive thereafter, in a location—specific manner. For this purpose, the violation server checks whether the location of the violation D0 of a violation message 39 is within the ndings 9 of the position LOC of a control vehicle 6, and if so, it makes this violation message 39 available to this control vehicle 6 (step 46). The control vehicle 6 includes the violation messages 39 provided with in this way in a local violation message list locDLM 47.

The provision of the violation messages 39, which have been filtered in a location-specific manner, in step 46 can take place both continually, for example periodically or as needed, for example in that the violation server 7 transmits each individual violation message 39 to the control vehicle 6, or in batches (using batch processing), in that the control vehicle 6 picks up the violation messages 39 that are ed at a particular time from the violation server 7, or receives them transmitted from the server.

With the optional time of the violation DT, the violation messages 39 also bear a respective "time stamp", which can limit the temporal ty of the messages. For example, violation messages 39 that are "too old", which is to say those having time stamps DT that are outside a predetermined time period, can be automatically discarded, both in the violation server 7 and in the control vehicle 6, and/or the violation server 7 can make available only "current" violation messages 39 to a control vehicle 6, which is to say those having time stamps DT that are within a predetermined time period.

During the registration phase 41, the l vehicles 6 thus basically "subscribe to" ion messages 39 from the surroundings 9 thereof, until, in a step 48, they transmit a de—registration request to the violation server 7, whereupon the same deletes the task 44.

The control vehicles 6 are thus provided with the respective current and on—specific violation es 39 from the surroundings 9 f and can, when a vehicle 2 passes or is checked, carry out l tasks 49 which utilize the tive local violation message list 47.

According to FIGS. 3 and 7a, during every control task 49, in a first step 52, a position e 36 of the OBU 3 is intercepted every time a violating vehicle 2' enters the DSRC range of the DSRC radio interface 50 between the DSRC transceiver 31 of the OBU 3 and the DSRC transceiver 51 of the control vehicle 6. Thereafter, in step 53, the license plate number LPN of the license plate 13 of the violating vehicle 2' is read out using a license plate number read unit 54 of the control vehicle 6 (arrow 55). In the optional step 56, the OBU 3 can continue to be read out via the DSRC radio interface 50, for example the toll parameter 00 thereof, OBU identifier and the like. Steps 52, 53 and 56 can also be carried out in a different order. In the optional step 57, violation messages 39 of the surroundings 9 are checked from the local violation message list 47 as to whether the position POS and/or the license plate number LPN of the ing e 2' appear therein, so as to validate the violation.

If a violation exists, the control vehicle 6 issues a corresponding alert 58 to its crew. The alert e 58 can, for example, be an optical or acoustic alert, or a display on a screen, which also tes the read license plate number LPN and the ion message DLM 39. The crew can then take appropriate enforcement measures, for example stop the violating vehicle 2', further check the OBU 3, and optionally levy a subsequent toll or impose a fine. The alert message 58 can additionally be automatically yed on a signaling unit 59 of the control vehicle 6 which is outwardly visible for the violating vehicle 2' (arrow 60), so as to prompt the same to stop, for example, using fluorescent ing "STOP".

The violation server 7 can optionally be equipped with estimation algorithms, which carry out an estimation of the temporal changes of the locations of the violations DO (as the "last whereabouts" of the violating vehicles 2'), based on speeds and driving directions of the es 2 that were measured by the unit 18 when the violation was marked.

The movement vector v of the vehicle 2 at the time of the violation DT can be integrated in the violation message 39 and transmitted to the violation server 7. The violation server 7 can then extrapolate or estimate potential new whereabouts D0 of the vehicle 2 for later times, also with the support of road system maps of the road system, and take this into consideration during phase 45 for those times at which the violation messages 39 that are nt for the surroundings 9 of a control vehicle 6 are ed. Violation messages 39 of vehicles 2, the locations of violations D0 of which were formerly outside the surroundings 9 of the _21_ position LOC of a control e 6, can thus be in the surroundings 9 at a later time — on an extrapolated basis — and thus be made ble to this l vehicle 6, or to the local violation message list 47 thereof. shows a simplified embodiment of the method, which can take place in a control vehicle 6 or in a task 49 thereof. In this simplified variant, the control e 6 directly receives, in step 52, the position message 36 of the OBU via the DSRC radio interface 50 between the DSRC transceiver 51 of the vehicle and the DSRC transceiver 31 of the OBU 3. Because of the limited range of the DSRC radio interface 50, the successful receipt of a position message 36 also indicates a close geographical proximity to the violating vehicle 2', so that the same — provided the traffic density is not too high, which could mean that several violating vehicles 2' could enter the radio coverage range of the DSRC radio ace 50 - is localized and found. When using riate guidelines for the DSRC transceiver 51 of the control vehicle 6, the DSRC radio coverage range, and thus the down surroundings 9 of the control vehicle 6, can be narrowed further, whereby the violating vehicle 2' can be clearly localized and detected as a result of t of a position message 36.

The invention is thus not limited to the shown embodiments, but encompasses all variants and modifications that are covered by the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims (23)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A control system for a road toll system which is based on on- board units d by vehicles, comprising: at least one marking vehicle, at least one on—board unit, and at least one control unit, each comprising a DSRC transceiver for ishing a DSRC radio ace, wherein the marking vehicle is configured to detect a traffic or toll violation of an on-board unit, or of a vehicle carrying the same, and, if a violation exists, to it a marker to the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface, wherein the on—board unit is configured to determine the position thereof and, upon receipt of a marker, to periodically broadcast position messages containing the respective current position thereof, and wherein the control unit is configured to detect the vehicle carrying the rd unit based on at least one of the position messages broadcast by the on-board unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the g vehicle is configured to read out at least one toll ter from the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface, check the toll parameter for accuracy and, if it is incorrect, to transmit the marker to the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that the toll parameter is vehicle specific, and the marking vehicle comprises a sensor, preferably a laser rangefinder or laser scanner, for detecting a shape parameter of a vehicle carrying the on-board unit and ascertains the accuracy of the toll parameter depending on the shape parameter.

4. The system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the control unit is ured to receive a position message and, if the position indicated n is within the range of the DSRC radio interface, to read out the toll parameter from the on—board unit via the DSRC radio interface and y it.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the l unit is a control vehicle.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, terized in that the on-board unit is configured to broadcast position messages via the DSRC transceiver thereof, and the control unit is configured to receive position messages via the DSRC transceiver thereof.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the marking vehicle is configured to additionally transmit a violation message via a mobile communication network to a back office when transmitting a marker, and the control unit is configured to e violation messages from the back office and counter-check read-out toll parameters t them.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that the l unit is a control vehicle and the vehicle is equipped with a unit for determining the position thereof, preferably a satellite navigation receiver, and registers the on thereof with the back office so as to receive only violation messages that relate to the surroundings of the vehicle from the back office.

9. The system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the marking vehicle comprises a read unit for a license plate number of a vehicle carrying the on-board unit and adds the license plate number to the violation message, and the control unit likewise comprises a read unit for the e license plate number and uses this number for selecting the violation message for the cross-check.

10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the marking vehicle is equipped with a unit for measuring the speed and driving direction of a passing vehicle and adds these measured values to the marker and/or the violation message.

11. A control method for a road toll system which is based on on- board units carried by vehicles, using at least one marking e, at least one on-board unit, and at least one control unit, each comprising a DSRC transceiver for establishing a DSRC radio interface, comprising the following steps: in the marking vehicle: detecting a traffic or toll ion of an on- board unit, or of a vehicle carrying the same, and, if a violation exists, transmitting a marker to the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface; in the on-board unit: periodically determining, upon receipt of a marker, the own position of the unit and broadcasting position messages containing the tive current position thereof; in the control unit: detecting the e carrying the on—board unit based on at least one of the position messages that are broadcast by the on-board unit.

12. The method ing to claim 11, characterized in that the ic broadcasting of the position messages in the on-board unit takes place only over a limited period of time or only for a limited number of position messages.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the detection in the marking vehicle is carried out by reading out at least one toll parameter from the on-board unit via the DSRC radio interface and checking the toll ter for accuracy.

14. The method ing to claim 13, characterized in that the toll parameter is vehicle shape-specific, ably the vehicle length or number of axles, and the marking vehicle detects a shape parameter of a vehicle carrying the on-board unit and ascertains the accuracy of the toll parameter depending on the shape parameter.

15. The method ing to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the detection in the control unit takes place by receiving a position message, and, if the position indicated therein is located within the range of the DSRC radio interface, g out the toll parameter from the on- board unit via the DSRC radio interface and displaying the same.

16. A method ing to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the position messages are broadcast via the DSRC radio interface and received by the control unit.

17. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the position messages are broadcast by the on— board unit to the control unit via a mobile communication network and a back office.

18. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the marking vehicle additionally transmits a violation message to a back office via a mobile communication network when transmitting a marker.

19. The method according to claim 18, when dependent upon claim 15, characterized in that the control unit es ion messages from the back office and cross-checks read-out toll parameters against them.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the back office transmits a confirmation message for a received violation message to the rd unit mentioned in the violation message via the mobile ication network, and the on-board unit awaits such a confirmation message before broadcasting the position messages.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the received marker is ignored by the on-board unit if no confirmation message arrives within a ermined waiting period.

22. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 21, characterized in that the broadcasting of the position es can be deactivated in the on—board unit from the back office via the mobile communication network.

23. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 22, characterized in that the g vehicle reads a license plate number of a vehicle carrying the on-board unit and adds it to the violation message, and the control unit se reads the vehicle license plate number and uses it to select the violation message for the cross—check. KAPSCH TRAFFICCOM AG By Their Attorneys HENRY HUGHES Per: k .__.’1L—JJ-' 10 11 12 14 5 1O 11 12 14 5