Vehicle management system

• US 20070100687A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/580,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A vehicle management system is disclosed that can eliminate user dissatisfaction with toll collection at a time of traffic congestion and improve driving safety. In this system, when a vehicle (101) with an on-board communication terminal apparatus (102) passes through gates (103, 106) provided at the entrance and exit of a toll road and gates (104, 105) provided at the entrance and exit of a service area (parking area), the times of passage of the vehicle (101) through the gates are detected by detection apparatuses (107 through 110) installed at the gates, and a central control apparatus (111) calculates a toll according to the time during which the toll road is used excluding time spent at the service area, and the distance traveled on the toll road, based on the times of passage through the gates.

Claims

1. A vehicle management system comprising:

a first and second gate provided at an entrance and exit of a toll road;

a third and fourth gate provided at an entrance and exit of a rest stop, including a service area and parking area;

a communication terminal apparatus installed in a vehicle;

a detection apparatuses that are installed at the first through fourth gates, and, by performing radio communication with the vehicle that passes through the gates, detect the vehicle and times of passage through the gates; and

a central control apparatus that calculates a toll according to a time during which the toll road is used excluding time spent at the rest stop, and a distance over which the toll road is used, based on the times of passage through the gates detected by the detection apparatuses.

2. The vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the central control apparatus calculates an average traveling speed of the vehicle from the time during which the toll road is used excluding the time spent at the rest stop and the distance over which the toll road is used, and notifies the police if a calculated average speed exceeds a predetermined speed.

3. The vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the central control apparatus detects a vehicle whose continuous traveling time is greater than or equal to a predetermined time, and sends a rest advisory to a detected vehicle urging a driver to take a rest.

4. The vehicle management system according to claim 1, wherein the central control apparatus determines whether or not a vehicle has been parked continuously at the rest stop for a predetermined time or longer, and notifies the police if the vehicle has been parked for the predetermined time or longer.