RNSS-based lane-level vehicle tolling method and system

• US 20090171772A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Origin Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Origin Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Deer, Larry B., Sweeney, Lawrence E. JR., Petrisor, Gregory C., Perdue, Ryan A.
• Application Number:
  US12/317,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171772A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

An RNSS-based lane-level vehicle tolling method and system for a roadway having at least one managed traffic lane and at least one unmanaged traffic lane, and on-vehicle equipment for use therein, overcome lane identification limitations of RNSS-based tolling and achieves lane-level tolling through explicit lane identification. In some embodiments, a vehicle transmits a lane presence indication (LPI) to indicate to off-vehicle toll processing whether the vehicle is currently in a managed or unmanaged traffic lane. In other embodiments, on-vehicle toll processing uses lane identification information locally to determine whether the vehicle is currently in a managed or unmanaged traffic lane.

Claims

1. A radio navigation satellite system (RNSS)-based lane-level vehicle tolling system, comprising:

on-vehicle equipment;

off-vehicle equipment; and

a wireless link, wherein the on-vehicle equipment transmits to the off-vehicle equipment via the wireless link vehicle position information determined using RNSS signals and a lane presence indication (LPI) and in response the on-vehicle equipment receives from the off-vehicle equipment via the wireless link toll information that is outputted to an occupant of the vehicle.

2. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using pseudolite signals.

3. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using wheel tachometer information.

4. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the on-vehicle equipment further receives from the off-vehicle equipment via the wireless link differential correction information and the vehicle position information is further determined using the differential correction information.

5. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the LPI comprises an indication that the vehicle is in a managed lane.

6. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the LPI comprises an indication that the vehicle is in an unmanaged lane.

7. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the toll information comprises toll rate information.

8. The tolling system of claim 1, wherein the toll information comprises trip charge information.

9. On-vehicle equipment, comprising:

a processor;

a position receiver communicatively coupled with the processor;

a human machine interface (HMI) communicatively coupled with the processor; and

a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled with the processor, wherein under control of the processor the on-vehicle equipment transmits via the wireless transceiver vehicle position information determined using RNSS signals received by the position receiver and a LPI determined using information received by the HMI and in response receives via the wireless transceiver toll information, and wherein under control of the processor the on-vehicle equipment outputs the toll information on the HMI.

10. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, wherein the signals received by the position receiver further comprise pseudolite signals and the vehicle position information is further determined using pseudolite signals.

11. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, further comprising a wheel tachometer, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using information received from the wheel tachometer.

12. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using differential correction information received via the wireless transceiver.

13. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, wherein the LPI comprises an indication that the vehicle is in a managed lane.

14. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, wherein the LPI comprises an indication that the vehicle is in an unmanaged lane.

15. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, wherein the toll information comprises toll rate information.

16. The on-vehicle equipment of claim 9, wherein the toll information comprises trip charge information.

17. An RNSS-based lane-level vehicle tolling method, comprising the steps of:

transmitting vehicle position information determined using RNSS signals and a LPI;

receiving toll information in response to the vehicle position information and the LPI; and

outputting the toll information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using pseudolite signals.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using wheel tachometer information.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using the differential correction information.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the LPI comprises an indication that the vehicle is in a managed lane.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the LPI comprises an indication that the vehicle is in an unmanaged lane.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the toll information comprises toll rate information.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the toll information comprises trip charge information.

25. An RNSS-based lane-level vehicle tolling method, comprising the steps of:

receiving roadway toll information from off-vehicle equipment;

receiving RNSS signals;

receiving lane identification information;

determining vehicle toll information using the roadway toll information, vehicle position information determined using the RNSS signals and the lane identification information; and

outputting the vehicle toll information.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the lane identification information indicates presence in a managed lane and the vehicle toll information comprises toll rate information and trip charge information.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the lane identification information indicates presence in an unmanaged lane and the vehicle toll information comprises toll rate information.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of transmitting the vehicle position information to the off-vehicle equipment.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of transmitting the vehicle toll information to the off-vehicle equipment.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using pseudolite signals.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using wheel tachometer information.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of receiving differential correction information from the off-vehicle equipment, wherein the vehicle position information is further determined using the differential correction information.