WO2002101661A2

WO2002101661A2 - Dual toll system

Info

Publication number: WO2002101661A2
Application number: PCT/DE2002/002136
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gila Janos; Wolfgang Konrad
Original assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2001-06-12
Filing date: 2002-06-12
Publication date: 2002-12-19
Also published as: HRP20040020A2; WO2002101661A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and toll system (SYS) for electronically charging tolls by means of a position determination system (PES) which determines the actual position-co-ordinates (OKO) of a vehicle. According to said invention, at least one characteristic signature (SIG) of the route taken by the vehicle (FAR) is calculated with the aid of the position-co-ordinates (OKO) of the vehicle (FAR), according to said signature (SIG) it is determined whether the route taken (STR) is a toll route or not. If the route taken (STR) is a toll route, user authorisation verification occurs as to whether the vehicle (FAR) is authorised to use the toll route (STR).

Description

DUAL TOLL SYSTEM

The invention relates to a method for electronic tolling by means of a position determination system for determining the current location coordinates of a vehicle.

The invention further relates to a toll system for electronic tolling by means of a position determination system for determining the current location coordinates of a vehicle.

A toll system and a method of the type mentioned above are known from DE 43 44 433 AI. In the known method, current location coordinates are recorded by a GPS receiver, and compared with the entry / exit coordinates of a motorway route, which are stored internally in an electronic vignette, and if the coordinates are overwritten, these are transmitted to a vehicle external accounting center by means of the digital mobile network , in the billing center, the distance traveled and the associated motorway tolls are calculated from the transmitted data.

WO 95/20801 discloses a method and an arrangement for determining user charges for traffic routes and / or traffic areas in which the position data of the vehicle are recorded by means of a position determination system and compared with the positions of virtual toll booths. The position data can be transmitted to a central office external to the vehicle in order to calculate the toll charges, the charges can also be calculated in a tolling device of the vehicle and the determined charges can be transmitted to the central office, where it can then be debited from an account. The main disadvantage of this method is that the position of the vehicle must be recorded continuously and there is no possibility of anonymous debit.

WO 99/33027 describes a method for collecting tolls, in which the current position of the vehicle for the calculation of tolls is compared with the position of a virtual toll station, wherein when a vehicle passes through a physical toll station, a communication link between the vehicle and a central toll control center is set up to pay the tolls. After the payment transaction is made between the toll station and the Vehicle a communication link is established, via which evidence of the proper payment of the toll fee is transmitted.

A disadvantage of the known method is that if the communication link between the vehicle and the accounting center or between the vehicle and the position determination system fails, no toll fees can be charged.

It is an object of the invention to provide an easy-to-implement and inexpensive way of collecting and paying tolls, which is also easy to adapt to different types of charges for toll roads and a collection of tolls regardless of a communication link between the vehicle and an in-vehicle accounting center.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a method of the type mentioned at the beginning in that at least one signature characteristic of the route traveled by the vehicle is calculated on the basis of location coordinates of the vehicle and the signature is used to determine whether the route traveled is subject to toll.

It is a merit of the invention that the use of a toll route can be demonstrated even if no permanent communication between a position detection system and the vehicle is possible, since the signature of the route traveled allows an assignment to toll routes.

In order to determine whether the route traveled is subject to toll, the calculated signature can be compared to reference routes contained in a reference card.

However, at least one reference signature can also be assigned to each toll route in a predeterminable area, and the signature obtained from the current location coordinates can be compared with the reference signatures in order to determine whether the route traveled is subject to toll.

In order to facilitate the calculation of toll charges to be paid, a predeterminable toll charge can be assigned to each reference signature or each reference route.

The data volume can be significantly reduced by calculating the signature in a tolling device of the vehicle. A toll control system or billing center external to the vehicle can be dispensed with if the comparison of the signature with the reference signature and / or the reference card takes place in the tolling device and the toll fee is debited from a rechargeable credit stored in the tolling device. This embodiment of the invention ensures the anonymity of the vehicle user, since no information, such as vehicle identification, etc., has to be transmitted to a toll control center and the credit can be acquired against prepayment. In principle, however, other variants of the advance payment are also possible, for example in the form of a time card or a route credit, etc.

If no prepayment of toll fees by the vehicle owner and / or the toll operator is desired, the signature calculated by the tolling device can be transmitted to a billing center external to the vehicle, and the comparison of the signature with the reference signature and / or the reference card takes place in the billing center, the the resulting toll fee is debited from an account assigned to the vehicle in the accounting center. In this case, anonymity is no longer provided, since a vehicle identification must be transferred from the account to the billing center in order to debit the toll charges.

Proof that a toll route has been used can be made easier by the signature being given a time stamp and the signature and the time stamp being saved for the duration of a predefinable time interval.

The current location coordinates of the vehicle are advantageously determined using a satellite navigation method.

A toll system of the type mentioned at the outset is particularly suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention, which is set up to calculate at least one signature characteristic of the route traveled by the vehicle on the basis of location coordinates of the vehicle and to determine from the signature whether the route traveled Route is toll.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the toll system is set up to compare the calculated signature for determining whether the route traveled is subject to toll with reference toll roads contained in a reference card. Furthermore, a predeterminable toll fee can be assigned to each reference signature or each reference route.

In a preferred embodiment of the toll system according to the invention, the vehicle has a tolling device which is set up to calculate the signature of the route traveled.

A favorable variant of the invention consists in that the tolling device is set up to compare the signature with the reference signature and / or the reference card and to debit the toll fee from a rechargeable credit stored in the tolling device.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the toll system can be set up to transmit the signature calculated by the tolling device to a billing center external to the vehicle, which is set up to compare the signature with the reference signature and / or the reference card, the applicable toll fee of to debit an account in the accounting center that is assigned to the vehicle.

Further advantages can be achieved in that the signature has a time stamp and the toll system is set up to store the signature and the time stamp for the duration of a predefinable time interval.

Further advantages can be achieved in that the toll system is set up to determine the location coordinates by means of a satellite navigation method.

The invention together with further advantages is explained in more detail below with the aid of some non-limiting exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the drawing. This shows schematically:

1 a toll system according to the invention,

La a prepaid card for tolling a vehicle,

2 shows a schematic sequence of the method according to the invention,

3 a signature of a route traveled, determined on the basis of location coordinates, 4 shows a comparison between the signature from FIG. 3 and a reference signature of a toll route,

5 shows a variant of the prepaid card from FIG. 1 a in more detail and a reader for booking a user authorization onto the prepaid card;

6 shows a mobile data carrier with a code for booking a user authorization onto the prepaid card,

7 shows the prepaid card from FIG. 5, which is connected to a data network for the purpose of loading a user authorization,

8 an inventive dual toll system with a billing center,

9 the billing center and a tolling device from FIG. 8 in more detail,

Fig. 10 is a monitoring system for monitoring the operating state of tolling devices and

11 shows a display arranged on a vehicle for displaying a control pattern representative of the operating state of the tolling device.

1, a toll system SYS according to the invention for locating a vehicle FAR has a position detection system PES, for example the known "Global Positioning Systems" or GPS system for short. With the toll system SYS according to the invention, as will be explained in more detail below, it is simple Realize a dual toll system.

In this document, a dual toll system is understood to mean a toll system that allows both the payment of the toll fees without communication with a vehicle-specific billing center ABZ directly in a toll device BEI of the vehicle FAR that has been set up specifically for this purpose, and payment of the toll fees via a billing center ABZ, whereby in the second case, the vehicle must have a tolling device BE2 for communication with the accounting center. ABZ is set up. To determine the current location coordinates OKO, the vehicles FA1, FA2 each have a tolling device BEI, BE2, which is set up to exchange data with the position determination system PES, preferably a satellite navigation system. If the position determination system PES is the GPS toll system, the toll payment device BEV can have a GPS module. For route and position determination using GPS, see, for example: "Environment detection based on learning digital maps for predictive conditioning of driver assistance systems"; Michael Schraut; Dissertation at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Technical University of Munich.

On the basis of the location coordinates OKO determined by the tolling device BEI, BE2, it is determined in the manner described below whether the traveled route STR is subject to a toll.

2 in the controls ST1, ST2 of the vehicle-side tolling devices BEI, BE2, a characteristic signature SIG, for example in the form of polygon trains, on which the determined location Coordinates OKO lie, calculated and compared to determine whether it is a toll road, with a reference map RKA or reference signatures REF, which are also available in the form of polygons, for example, for similarity or correspondence. The intervals in which the signature SIG is calculated can be specified by a toll system operator. The location coordinates OKO determined by the tolling device BE2 according to the invention can be transmitted via a transmission unit SEN to a reception unit EM3 of a billing center ABZ external to the vehicle, which can have a control ST3 which is set up to receive the location coordinates from the reception unit EM3 and calculate the signature SIG of the route STR traveled and determine whether this route STR is subject to toll.

The controls ST1, ST2, St3 of the tolling devices BEI, BE2 and the billing center ABZ can, for example, be appropriately programmed microprocessors.

According to FIG. 3, the relative positions of the location coordinates OKO to one another, ie the direction vectors defined by two successive location coordinates OKI-OKN, can be the shaping characteristic of the signature SIG if it is formed in the form of a polygon. Of course, the SIG signature can also be used by others The parameters of the route STR must be determined, for example average height difference or height profile, average radius of curvature or course of the radius of curvature of the route STR etc. It is only essential that the signature SIG is characteristic of the route STR traveled and a check as to whether it is a toll route is allowed. The positions of the determined local coordinates OKO are not determined on a map, as in the known tolling methods, but rather characteristic signatures SIG are calculated from a number of local coordinates for the stretches STR traveled.

4, both the reference signature REF and the signature SIG are in digital form, the reference signature REF containing more data values than the signature SIG, since there may be an entire toll road reference route in the form of a reference signature REF, while the signature SIG can be calculated at predeterminable time intervals, which is why the currently calculated signature SIG may only correspond to a section of the entire route traveled.

For comparison of the signature SIG and reference signature REF, for example, if the signature SIG and the reference signature REF are in the form of polygons, the start and end point of the signature SIG can be made to coincide with one point of the reference signature REF. This procedure is based on the assumption that the signature SIG is the same or similar only with those sections of the reference signature REF whose start and end points can be made to coincide with the start and end points of the signature SIG. For this purpose, the signature SIG can be moved along the curve predetermined by the reference signature REF. If a section of the reference signature REF is determined in which the start A and end points E of the signature SIG can be made to coincide with points of the reference signature REF, the amount of the area FLA delimited by the signature SIG and the reference signature REF can be calculated. If the signature SIG is identical to a section of a reference route subject to toll, the amount of the area FLA enclosed by the reference signature REF and the signature SIG becomes close to zero. In order to enable a reliable comparison between the signature SIG and the reference signatures REF despite possible measurement errors, a limit can be defined for the amount of the signature SIG and the reference signature REF both for the enclosed area FLA and for a maximum permitted deviation. If the amount of the enclosed area FLA and the maximum deviation falls below these limits, the signature SIG can be regarded as identical to the reference signature REF or the relevant section of the reference signature REF and the traveled route STR can be classified as subject to toll. To determine whether the route traveled is subject to toll If the signature SIG is compared with all reference signatures REF of toll roads that are known to the toll system, if several toll roads are to be used, then the route whose reference signature has the highest correspondence with the signature SIG is regarded as the traveled route. The procedure described above represents only one of many possibilities to form the signature SIG and to compare it with reference signatures REF of toll roads. Large numbers of other methods and devices for carrying out a comparison of patterns or objects for similarity or for location purposes are known to the person skilled in the art.

The procedure described above represents only one of many possibilities to form the signature SIG and to compare it with the reference signature REF. Large numbers of other methods and devices for carrying out a comparison of patterns or objects for similarity or for location purposes are known to the person skilled in the art.

For example, the location coordinates OKO obtained can also be viewed as the realization of a complex random variable, the trajectory traversing accordingly as a stochastic process, with the usual assumptions regarding ergodicity, etc. be made more robust against measured value failures as a result of inadequate reception of position data.

Furthermore, if the position data are faulty, the process just mentioned can be based on a mobility model that models the deviation from the unknown “target trajectory” caused by the position determination by means of additive, Gaussian, white noise. The reference process to be derived on the basis of the reference card KAR becomes similar modeled, the inaccuracy of the reference card KAR is also considered as noise.

These two processes can be processed using methods known from digital signal processing for spectral or time series analysis. Hypothesis tests can also be used, for example, based on the eigenvalue distribution of a covariance matrix of the two processes or on the basis of a specially pronounced spectrum, it can be concluded that the route traveled is identical to the reference route subject to tolls. The method just mentioned by way of example can also be viewed as a mapping rule with statistical error handling, in which the compressed, characteristic properties, the signatures SIG, REF, the route traveled and a reference route are compared with one another. On the basis of characteristic features of the trajectory of the route traveled, the signature SIG, the correspondence with a route or reference signature REF known to the toll system is checked, wherein a predeterminable toll fee can be assigned to each reference route or reference signature REF known to the toll system.

An advantage of this systematic procedure based on statistical methods is also the possibility, in the case of faulty position data or location coordinates OKO, of estimating the residual error or taking measurement errors into account. If the current position measurements and map references are not faulty, i.e. noiseless, any bijective image can be used that compresses information.

It is an advantage of the method according to the invention that no permanent location of the vehicle FAR is necessary to determine whether it is on a toll road. In principle, it would suffice to calculate a signature SIG for a traveled route STR, for example on the basis of the location coordinates OKO measured over a period of five minutes, in order to be able to determine whether the vehicle FAR is on a toll road. It is therefore not necessary to achieve the accuracy of known location methods to determine the distance STR traveled. Since no exact position determination is necessary, only a yes / no decision should be made as to whether a vehicle is or was on a toll road at a certain point in time or in a given period.

As already mentioned above, the toll system operator can specify the intervals at which the signature SIG should be calculated, depending on the desired location accuracy.

1, the reference routes or the reference card RKA can be stored in a memory of the tolling device BEI or in a billing center external to the vehicle, wherein a predeterminable toll fee GEB can be assigned to each reference route or reference signatures REF.

To determine whether a route STR is subject to toll, a comparison can be made either in the toll payment device BEI or in the billing center ABZ the route traveled and a route predetermined by the reference map KAR are similar, if a decision threshold is exceeded, the route traveled is regarded as the toll route reference route REF with which the greatest agreement exists.

By comparing the signature SIG with a reference route or reference signature REF known to the toll system SYS, not only the toll route STR but also the length of the distance DIS actually traveled by the vehicle FAR on a toll route STR can be clearly determined.

If the determined route STR is subject to toll, a user authorization BER stored in a memory SPR of the tolling device BEI or the accounting center ABZ can be used to check whether the vehicle FAR is authorized to use this route STR.

In principle, two types of toll can be distinguished in the toll system according to the invention. One type of toll refers to an embodiment of the invention, in which the user authorization BER is stored in a memory SPR of the toll device BEI. The calculation of the signature SIG and a comparison with the reference signatures REF of toll roads is carried out by the tolling device BEI on board the vehicle FAR. In this embodiment, the corresponding tolling device BEI, hereinafter referred to as the WEK prepaid card, does not need to establish a communication connection with a vehicle-related billing center ABZ, since it already has all the information it needs for the calculation and billing of toll fees or receives it from the position determination system PES ,

The user authorization BER of the prepaid card WEK can be implemented as credit GOOD and stored in a memory SPR of the prepaid card WEK, a control STE being provided which can be set up to debit toll charges GEB accruing from the credit GOOD. If the GUT credit has been used up, the FAR vehicle may no longer use toll roads STR (Fig. La).

The authorization to use BER on the WEK prepaid card does not necessarily have to be a GUT credit. The user authorization BER can also be implemented, for example, as a time card ZEI stored in the memory SPR of the prepaid card, which entitles the user to use predeterminable, toll roads STR within a certain period of time, etc. If the user authorization BER consists in being allowed to cover a predeterminable number of kilometers on toll roads STR, the number of kilometers already traveled can be debited from a route credit stored in the memory unit SPR of the prepaid card.

The realization of time-limited use authorizations BER in the prepaid card WEK can be achieved, for example, by adding a time stamp STE to the signature SIG. The signature SIG and the time stamp STE can then be used to clearly determine both the route that is subject to toll and the time of use, with a check as to whether or not the vehicle FAR may be driving on the route STR determined by the signature SIG at this time of the time stamp STE can be carried out.

In this way, the proper payment of the GEB toll fee is ensured despite the lack of communication with a toll control center.

The type of user authorization BER desired by a vehicle owner (credit, time card, route credit, appointment commitment, etc.) can be transferred or activated, for example, by means of a code COD in the value card WEK. A predefinable code CO1, CO2, CO3 can be assigned to each type of user authorization BER in the value card (FIG. 5). For example, a first code CO1 can be assigned to a time card ZEI for all toll roads STR in a predeterminable area, while another code CO2 tops up a GUT credit by a predeterminable amount, or a third code CO3 increases a route credit SGH by a predeterminable amount etc.

Of course, different types of user authorizations BER can also be stored in the prepaid card at the same time and activated as required. If, for example, the use authorization BER is in the form of a time card ZEI, which entitles the user to use the toll route STR in a certain period of time, a GUT credit can also be provided in parallel. If the vehicle FAR uses the route STR for which a valid time card ZEI exists, the driver can deactivate the debit via the credit GUT and electronically “present” the time card ZEI. This presentation of the time card ZEI essentially corresponds to a change in the billing mode in the value card and can be carried out by actuating an input unit on the prepaid card, for example a key. After receiving the code COD, the control STE of the prepaid card WEK can identify and activate or activate the corresponding user authorization BER by comparing the code COD acquired by the user with the codes CO1, CO2, CO3 stored in the memory unit SP1.

If a time card ZEI for a certain route and a GUT credit are activated in the prepaid card WEK, the driver can deactivate the debit via the GUT credit and electronically "present" the ZEI time card as soon as he drives onto the route for which the time card exists.

This presentation of the time card ZEI essentially corresponds to a change in the billing mode in the value card WEK and can be carried out by actuating an input unit of the value card, for example a button. In principle, any combination of BER user authorizations is possible.

A user authorization BER in the form of a credit GUT can be assigned several codes COl, COl ', COl "which correspond to different amounts of money. After payment of the corresponding amount, the code COl, COl', COl" corresponding to this amount can be transferred to the prepaid card and that Credit GOOD can be increased by this amount.

Analogous to what has just been said, the other forms of BER user authorization can also be acquired for the WEK prepaid card. That is, Upon payment of the amount assigned to a user authorization BER to the toll operator by the vehicle user, the “activation code” for this type of user authorization BER is acquired and transferred to the prepaid card WEK.

The code COD can be transferred to the prepaid card WEK, for example, by means of an input device EIV that is connected to the prepaid card WEK or is not wired. Examples of a wired connection between the input device EIV and the prepaid card WEK would be copper wire, glass fiber, etc. Examples of a non-wired connection are radio, infrared transmission, laser, etc.

In order to prevent improper loading of a user authorization BER into the calculation unit BEE, the code COl, CO2, CO3 can be encrypted and transferred to the WEK prepaid card in a form that is not recognizable to the user. The code COD can be stored on a mobile data carrier MDT, for example a magnetic card, etc. The input device EIV is designed as a reading device LES for mobile data carriers in order to transfer the user authorization BER or the code COD into the prepaid card WEK. In order to prevent improper reuse of the mobile data carrier, the reading device LES can be set up to end the transfer process of the code COD into the prepaid card WEK with a cancellation of the mobile data carrier. This cancellation can consist, for example, in that the information contained on the mobile data carrier is deleted by the reading device or in that a value WER which indicates the validity of the card is set from "valid" to "invalid" (FIG. 6).

Another possibility of transferring the code COD into the prepaid card is that after the payment of the amount assigned to it has been manually entered into the calculation unit BEE by a person authorized by the toll operator via an input device of the calculation unit BEE, for example a keyboard or a touchscreen.

Furthermore, the code COD can also be transmitted to the prepaid card via a radio network, preferably the GSM network. For this purpose, the prepaid card can have a radio module, for example a GSM module, or can be connected to such a module, via which, on request, e.g. B. by activating a predefinable key or key combination of a keyboard of the prepaid card, a connection to the billing center ABZ of the toll station operator can be established. After the connection has been established, the desired user authorization BEE can be selected by the vehicle user, for example supported by an acoustic menu, as described, for. B. is customary in prepaid mobile phones. The user authorization BER or the code COD can be paid for, for example, by credit card or via a direct debit authorization issued to the toll operator for an account of the vehicle user.

After selecting the desired user authorization BER and paying for it, the code COD can be transferred from the accounting center ABZ to the prepaid card.

The payment of the user authorization BER can be made, as is known from GSM prepaid cell phone phones, by purchasing a toll prepaid card on which at least one credit code KRE, KR1, KR2 assigned to the respective type of user authorization BER is printed. After establishing a connection with the accounting center ABZ via the GSM network, this credit code KRE, KR1, KR2 can be transmitted from the value card to the accounting center ABZ after being entered into the calculation unit BEE, for example via a keyboard of the value card. After receiving the credit code KRE, the accounting center ABZ transmits the user authorization BER assigned to this credit code KRE, KR1, KR2, for example in the form of a code COD, as already described above.

The connection establishment for the transmission of the credit code KRE, KR1, KR2 and the user authorization BER can also take place between the input device EIV and the accounting center ABZ. The input device EIV can be, for example, a mobile radio telephone TEL, via which the credit code KRE, KR1, KR2 is transmitted to the billing center ABZ, the corresponding user authorization BER in the form of the code COD after receipt of the credit code KRE, KR1, KR2 from the billing center ABZ the mobile phone is transmitted. Via an interface SSI, for example an infrared interface, the user authorization BER can then be transmitted from the mobile radio telephone TEL to the prepaid card on request.

According to FIG. 7, the use authorization BER or the code CO1, CO2, C03 can also be transferred to the prepaid card via a computer PC connected to a data network WWW, preferably to the Internet. In this case, the code COl, CO2, CO3 can be transmitted via the Internet to the computer PC, which is set up to transfer the code COl, C02, CO3 into the prepaid card, for example via a USB interface. As with the transmission of the COD code via a radio network, the BER user authorization can be paid by credit card, etc.

In order to be able to carry out a location-dependent debit from the GUT credit despite the communication of the prepaid card with a toll control center, the currently determined GPS position can be compared with a card of virtual toll stations stored in a memory of the prepaid card and when driving through the virtual toll stations the previously incurred one , debited from the GUT credit using the GPS measurement.

In some cases it may be that the accuracy of the detection of current location coordinates OKO of the vehicle FAR is not sufficient when using the value card using the GPS toll system. For example, there could be an erroneous billing of toll fees GEB if, for example, a toll road and a toll-free road run side by side in close proximity. Therefore, entering or leaving a toll route STR, ie activating the prepaid card, can be entered by the driver of the vehicle FAR by actuating an input device provided for this purpose, for example a button on the prepaid card. As a result, the driver of the vehicle can be obliged to cooperate in a similar way to validating a tram ticket. Furthermore, the accuracy requirements for the location determination can be restricted to the accuracy that can be achieved by a GPS toll system without having to transmit correction data.

Advantageously, the prepaid card can be designed as a chip card that can be inserted into a car radio. H. the activation and deactivation of the prepaid card, via which the car radio can be used.

A second type of toll, which can be implemented with the toll system according to the invention, provides that the user authorization BER is created in the accounting center ABZ. This is preferably an account KON assigned to the vehicle FAR. In contrast to the prepaid card, this type of toll requires a communication link between the vehicle FAR or the tolling device BE2 to determine the current location coordinates of the vehicle FAR and a billing center ABZ. In the following, the communication-capable tolling device BE2 is referred to as the calculation unit OBU.

8, the signature SIG, SU can be calculated in the calculation unit OBU at predeterminable intervals and transmitted to the accounting center ABZ via a radio network FUN, for example a GSM or UMTS network, etc. In the billing center ABZ, the toll fee GEB, GE1 to be paid, as already mentioned above, can be determined by comparing the signature SIG of the route traveled with the reference signatures REF of toll routes (FIG. 9). The debiting of an account KON, KOI assigned to the vehicle FAR or the calculation unit OBU can thus immediately “online” if the route traveled by the vehicle FAR is subject to toll, using the signature SIG, SU and a vehicle or calculation identification FID, FI1 also transmitted " be performed.

Another possibility is that the determined toll fees GEB are collected over a predeterminable period of time, for example one month, and the toll debt incurred is debited from the account KON, KOI in the accounting center ABZ at a later time. Of course, the user authorization BER, which is stored in the accounting center ABZ, can be implemented in the form of a time card ZEI etc. in the same way as the prepaid card.

The signature SIG can also be calculated in the accounting center ABZ, for this purpose the location coordinates OKO can be transmitted to the accounting center ABZ. Since the calculation of the signature SIG, as already mentioned above, can take place at predeterminable intervals, it is not necessary in this case either to permanently transmit position data to the accounting center ABZ. The data volume can therefore be significantly reduced by calculating the signature SIG in the toll system according to the invention.

If the toll fee GEB is debited online from the account KON and there is no cooperation on the part of the driver in the form of an activation of the calculation unit OBU when entering a traffic area subject to toll, as with the prepaid card, it may be necessary if the position determination system PES used is the GPS toll system, to transmit position correction data in order to rule out erroneous charging of toll charges. Since, as already mentioned above, tolls can be charged in the original way for roads running parallel to one another. The position correction data can be determined in accordance with a dGPS method and transmitted to the calculation unit OBU via a radio network, for example the GSM network, etc. Such a method for transmitting correction data has become known, for example, from WO 94/12892. For the term dGPS, see also the dissertation cited above at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Technical University of Munich or “Geolocator a GPS-based vehicle location system; Berhard Liedl; Diploma thesis at the Institute for Information Processing and Microprocessor Technology at the Johannes Kepler University Linz ".

To preserve evidence, travel history positions or the signature SIG of the route STR and any information about the time of use, for example in the form of a time stamp ZST attached to the currently determined signature SIG, can be stored in a memory of the value card or the accounting center ABZ and made available if necessary become. Adding a time stamp ZST to the signature SIG also has the advantage that when the user authorization is implemented as a ZEI time card, it is very easy to check whether the time card is still valid. The signature SIG and the time stamp ZST can be used to clearly prove the use of a toll route. According to FIG. 10, a monitoring system UES can be provided for monitoring the correct operation of the toll system or the value card and the calculation unit OBU. The monitoring system can have a control ST1 and a display DIP connected to it, which is set up to display a predefinable optical pattern MUS (FIG. 11). The optical pattern MUS can depend on the current operating state of the tolling device BEV located on board the vehicle FAR, ie the value card or the calculation unit OBU. The control ST1 of the monitoring system UES can monitor whether a valid user authorization BER is present in the prepaid card or the accounting center, or whether the tolling device BEV on board the vehicle is switched on.

To display the pattern MUS as a function of the operating state of the prepaid card, the controller ST1 can check the state of the user authorization BER in the prepaid card and whether the prepaid card is switched on or off.

If the tolling device BEV on board the vehicle is the calculation unit OBU, the controller ST1 of the monitoring system can exchange data with the accounting center ABZ to determine whether a valid user authorization BER is available.

The control ST1 controls the display DIP depending on the current operating state of the tolling device BEV (value card or calculation unit OBU) or the presence of a user authorization, on which the pattern MUS corresponding to the current operating state is shown. To display the pattern MUS, the display can have DIP light-emitting diodes LED or infrared light-emitting diodes.

If there is no valid user authorization BER in the prepaid card or the accounting center, an optical pattern MUS provided for this purpose is displayed, for example on the vehicle front FRO.

Unauthorized manipulation of the driver on the value card or on the calculation unit OBU can also be detected by the control ST1.

For example, the control ST1 of the monitoring system can be set up to enter the user code BER if the wrong code COD is entered several times Value card to show a pattern MUS intended for this purpose on the display, for example a luminous LED.

In order to prevent manipulation on the part of the driver, either after a cycle stored in the value card WEK or the calculation unit OBU. In the case of the communication-capable computing unit OBU, the pattern can also be changed externally, for example via a GSM broadcast request.

Entering the ascent or descent on a toll route STR, d. H. the activation of the value card can be carried out by the driver of the vehicle FAR actuating an input device provided for this purpose, for example a button on an input unit for the value card.

As a result, the driver of the vehicle can be obliged to cooperate in a similar way to validating a tram ticket.

If the value card is switched on by the vehicle user and there is a valid user authorization BER in its memory SPR, the control ST1 generates a corresponding optical pattern MUS on the display DIP, for example two illuminated light-emitting diodes LED, while in the switched-off state of the value card a characterizing this state Pattern MUS is generated - for example, in this case none of the light emitting diodes emits LED light.

The same applies, of course, to the calculation unit OBU, whose user authorization is stored in the accounting center. If, for example, the account in the accounting center ABZ of the vehicle FAR is overdrawn by a predefinable amount or the account holder is in arrears with the repayment of his toll debt, the status of the account KON can be changed from "valid" to "invalid". In this case, the control ST1 shows the pattern MUS provided for this case on the display.

The pattern MUS shown can thus be used to identify whether the driver of the vehicle FAR is a potential or actual toll bouncer.

In order to prevent manipulation on the part of the driver, either after a cycle stored in the value card WEK or the calculation unit OBU. In the case of the communication-capable computing unit OBU, the pattern can also be changed externally, for example via a GSM broadcast request. When driving through a fixed control station KST, the pattern MUS shown can now be evaluated and used as a trigger signal for a number plate OCR. OCR stands for "Optical Character Recognition" and means known methods for optical pattern recognition. The advantage of this solution, in addition to the low cost, is that not every vehicle has to be assigned a number plate OCR.

Infrared patterns can be recognized by cheap interference filters on an infrared camera KAM, with correspondingly high light output of the LEDs, with a much higher signal-to-noise ratio than number plates with purely passive number plate OCR. The detection of some simple patterns is also possible with much higher reliability.

The monitoring system UES is not used for communication, as is the case for example in WO 99/66455, but serves to reduce the frequency of the more complex number plate OCR, which is significantly less reliable under the expected environmental conditions. In the case of centrally performed OCR, this significantly reduces the data volume between the fixed enforcement stations and the OCR center.

Mobile monitoring can also be carried out using an infrared camera. In addition to this, preselection can also be carried out via additional LED sources in the visible area. However, signaling in the visible range can also generally take place.

There are three types of FAR vehicles within the booking area:

1. FAR vehicles without or with an invalid (manipulated) IR / LED signature, these are either toll bouncers, as are possible in principle with any automatic toll method; or these are toll participants with defective toll payment devices BEV, or missing or invalid user authorizations BER, for example blocked account KON or used up credit GUT. All of these participants can be recognized at appropriate control stations (fixed or mobile) and treated according to defined rules.

2. Vehicles with a valid IR / LED signature, whereby the leaving a national territory is recognized and z. B. the communication of the tolling device BER with the accounting center ABZ including the tolling process is deactivated and only more a position is determined, or a switch is made to the toll system of a neighboring country that is compatible with the basic technology.

3. Since the current position of the vehicle is known in the calculation unit BEE carried along, and from this it can be recognized which coordinate point is on either side of the border, the current pattern can be activated in good time before a border is crossed on a toll road. A tolerance zone is advantageously provided around the limit, in which an activation of the calculation unit is not absolutely necessary. If the journey continues on the national territory in a traffic area subject to tolls, tolling takes place in accordance with the method according to the invention.

As already mentioned above, another control element can also represent the signatures SIG of the stretches STR traveled. For this purpose, these are not discarded after the real-time comparison, but can be stored in the toll payment device BEV or in the accounting center ABZ, for example, to secure evidence. The stored data can be retained over a predefinable period, for example 2 months, according to a ring storage principle.

Signatures SIG can also be continuously calculated and stored together with the time stamp STE and the status of the tolling device BEV or the user authorization. This data can either be deducted from the prepaid card during the next booking process or transmitted permanently or at predeterminable intervals to a toll collection center at the communication-capable computing unit OBU and processed by it using suitable methods (e.g. comparing known with impossible statistical movement profiles, etc.) Obtain blacklists or other features of interest for the operation of the entire toll system.

Furthermore, it is a merit of the invention to make it possible to dispense with an online communication system, for example the GSM network, with a toll control center external to the vehicle. This enables a very cost-effective implementation of the method or toll system according to the invention to be achieved despite maintaining the virtual toll. Another advantage of the invention is that the equality required by law for vehicle operators paying online (calculation unit OBU) and offline (prepaid card) can be implemented within the same infrastructure and thus a "dual" toll system.

Claims

1. Method for electronic tolling by means of a position determination system (PES) for determining the current location coordinates (OKO) of a vehicle, characterized in that on the basis of location coordinates (OKO) of the vehicle (FAR) at least one for those of the vehicle ( FAR) the route characteristic signature (SIG) is calculated and the signature (SIG) is used to determine whether the route traveled (STR) is subject to toll.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the calculated signature (SIG) for determining whether the route traveled (STR) is subject to toll is compared with reference routes (RST) included in a reference map (RKA).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each toll route in a predetermined area is assigned at least one reference signature (REF), and the signature obtained from the current location coordinates (OKO) (SIG) for the purpose of determining whether the route traveled is subject to toll, is compared with the reference signatures (REF).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each reference signature (REF) or each reference route (RST) is assigned a predefinable toll fee (GEB).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the signature (SIG) is calculated in a tolling device (BEI, BE2) of the vehicle.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the comparison of the signature (SIG) with the reference signature (REF) and / or the reference card (RKA) takes place in the tolling device (BEI, BE2).

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the toll fee (GEB) is debited from a rechargeable credit (GUT) stored in the tolling device (BEI, BE2).

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the signature (SIG) calculated by the tolling device (BEV) is transmitted to a billing center (ABZ) external to the vehicle, and the comparison of the signature (SIG) with the reference signature ( REF) and / or the reference card (RKA) in the accounting center (ABZ).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the toll charge (GEB) is debited from an account (KON) assigned to the vehicle in the accounting center (ABZ).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the signature (SIG) receives a time stamp (STE).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the signature (SIG) and the time stamp are stored for the duration of a predefinable time interval.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the current location coordinates (OKO) of the vehicle (FAR) are determined by means of a satellite navigation method.

13. Toll system (SYS) for electronic tolling by means of a position determination system (PES) for determining the current location coordinates (OKO) of a vehicle, characterized in that it is set up to use the location coordinates (OKO) of the vehicle (FAR) to calculate at least one signature (SIG) characteristic of the route traveled by the vehicle (FAR) and to determine on the basis of the signature (SIG) whether the route traveled (STR) is subject to toll.

14. Toll system according to claim 13, characterized in that it is set up to compare the calculated signature (SIG) for determining whether the route traveled is subject to toll with reference routes (RST) contained in a reference card (RKA).

15. Toll system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that each toll route in a predetermined area is assigned at least one reference signature (REF) and the toll system is set up to determine whether the route traveled (STR) is subject to toll, the Compare the signature (SIG) with the reference signatures (REF).

16. Toll system according to claim 15, characterized in that each reference signature (REF) or each reference route (RST) is assigned a predeterminable toll fee (GEB).

17. Toll system according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the vehicle (FAR) has a tolling device (BEI, BE2) which is set up to calculate the signature (SIG) of the route traveled (STR).

18. Toll system according to claim 17, characterized in that the tolling device (BEI, BE2) is set up to carry out the signature (SIG) with the reference signature (REF) and / or the reference card (RKA).

19. Toll system according to claim 18, characterized in that it is set up to debit the toll fee (GEB) from a rechargeable credit (GUT) stored in the tolling device (BEI, BE2).

20. Toll system according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that it is set up to transmit the signature (SIG) calculated by the tolling device (BEV) to a billing center (ABZ) external to the vehicle which is set up to transfer the signature ( SIG) with the reference signature (REF) and / or the reference card (RKA).

21. Toll system according to claim 20, characterized in that it is set up to debit the toll fee (GEB) from an account (KON) assigned to the vehicle in the accounting center (ABZ).

22. Toll system according to one of claims 14 to 21, characterized in that the signature (SIG) has a time stamp (ZST).

23. Toll system according to claim 22, characterized in that it is set up to store the signature (SIG) and the time stamp (ZST) for the duration of a predefinable time interval.

24. Toll system according to one of claims 14 to 23, characterized in that it is set up to determine the location coordinates by means of a satellite navigation method.