Licensed driver detection for high occupancy toll lane qualification

• US 20060015394A1
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vertex Aerospace, LLC
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Sorensen, Roger G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,091,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A method for collecting tolls on a high occupancy toll lane includes detecting a number of driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into a card reader located in a vehicle and transmitting the number of driver'"'"'s licenses to a roadside transceiver for a determination of a toll amount for the vehicle based on the number of driver'"'"'s licenses. A transponder for use with the method includes a card reader for reading information from one or more driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader and a processor operative to generate a licensed driver count related to the number of driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader. In one embodiment, the processor is operative to determine whether or not a driver'"'"'s license is valid and the licensed driver count is indicative of the number of valid driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader.

Claims

1. A method of collecting tolls on a high occupancy toll lane comprising:

detecting a number of driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into a card reader located in a vehicle using the high occupancy toll lane; and

transmitting the number of driver'"'"'s licenses to a roadside transceiver for a determination of a toll amount for the vehicle based on the number of driver'"'"'s licenses.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting comprises reading information from the driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the information is read from at least one of the bar code and a magnetic strip of the driver'"'"'s license.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting includes determining if each of the driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader is valid and wherein transmitting includes transmitting the number of valid driver'"'"'s licenses to the roadside transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determination of the toll amount is further based on a current level of service.

6. A toll collection system comprising:

a transceiver positioned adjacent to a lane and including a receiver for receiving radio frequency signals; and

a transponder positioned on a vehicle using the lane and comprising a card reader for reading information from one or more driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader and a processor operative to generate a licensed driver count related to of the number driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader, wherein the transponder further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency signal indicative of the licensed driver count to the transceiver.

7. The toll collection system of claim 6 wherein the transceiver is associated with a processor that is responsive to the licensed driver count for determining a toll amount for the vehicle.

8. The toll collection system of claim 7 wherein the processor is further responsive to a current level of service for determining the toll amount for the vehicle.

9. The toll collection system of claim 6 wherein the licensed driver count is indicative of the number of valid driver'"'"'s licenses in the vehicle.

10. A transponder located on a vehicle and adapted for use on a high occupancy toll lane, comprising a card reader for reading information from one or more driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader.

11. The transponder of claim 10 further comprising a processor operative to generate a licensed driver count indicative of the number of driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader.

12. The transponder of claim 11 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting an RF signal to a roadway transceiver and indicative of the licensed driver count.

13. The transponder of claim 11 wherein the processor is operative to determine if a driver'"'"'s license is valid and the licensed driver count is indicative of the number of valid driver'"'"'s licenses inserted into the card reader.