VEHICLE TOLLING SYSTEM WITH OCCUPANCY DETECTION

• US 20150021389A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amtech Systems LLC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amtech Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Gravelle, Kelly
• Application Number:
  US14/336,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20150021389A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2240/00 Transportation facility access, e.g. fares, tolls or parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A system is disclosed for assessing roadway toll charges based on vehicle occupancy level based on occupants each having an electronic fob with a unique indentifier. The system includes: a vehicle-mounted RFID fob reader; a plurality of RFID fobs; an RFID toll tag associated with the vehicle; an RFID toll tag interrogator located at a tolling point; and a fob reader interrogator located at the tolling point. Each fob is associated with a vehicle occupant and the RFID fob reader interrogates the fobs to determine the number of fobs in the vehicle and thus determine vehicle occupancy. A method for assessing charges based on this system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for determining vehicle occupancy comprising:

a vehicle-mounted RFID fob reader and

a plurality of RFID fobs;

wherein each fob is associated with a vehicle occupant and wherein said RFID fob reader interrogates said fobs to determine the number of fobs in the vehicle and thus determine vehicle occupancy.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said fobs are either active devices comprising a battery powered receiver and transmitter or backscatter devices.

3. A system for assessing roadway toll charges based on vehicle occupancy level comprising:

a vehicle-mounted RFID fob reader

a plurality of RFID fobs;

an RFID toll tag associated with the vehicle;

an RFID toll tag interrogator located at a tolling point; and

a fob reader interrogator located at said tolling point;

wherein each fob is associated with a vehicle occupant and wherein said RFID fob reader interrogates said fobs to determine the number of fobs in the vehicle and thus determine vehicle occupancy; and

wherein said RFID toll tag interrogator determines that said vehicle has passed said tolling point, said fob reader interrogator reads said fob count and;

wherein a toll charge is assessed based on the vehicle passing said tolling point and said fob count.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said fob count and an identifier associated with said RFID tag are transmitted to a central office where said toll charge is determined.

5. A method of assessing a roadway toll charge based on vehicle occupancy comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle with an RFID tag and a fob reader each uniquely associated with the vehicle;

providing vehicle occupants with fobs, each fob having a unique identifier;

interrogating said fobs by the in-vehicle fob reader;

determining a fob count;

interrogating the RIFD tag at a tolling point;

interrogating the fob reader at said tolling point to obtain said fob count; and

assessing a toll charge for the vehicle based on said fob count.