Universally applicable, in-motion and automatic toll paying system using microwaves

• US 4,303,904 A
• Filed: 10/12/1979
• Issued: 12/01/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Syntonic Technology, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norman E. Chasek
• Inventors: Chasek, Norman E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US06/084,370
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 340/51, 340/152 T, 340/23, 340/31, 364/464, 455/2, 455/49, 455/53, 455/54, 455/56, 235/384, 235/379, 343/112 TC
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3433 the counter having monetary units
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/145 for revolving doors or turnstiles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

Toll collection facilities for tunnels, bridges and turnpikes slow traffic, waste time and fuel, and increase air pollution. Eliminating the need for a toll payment stop would avoid this waste and reduce toll facility operating costs. A single, universally applicable system and apparatus is described that can eliminate most toll stops and simplify funds transfers. The system starts with a lump sum paid in advance to a permanently assigned collection agency'"'"'s representative. This sum is inserted, electronically, into the memory of a microwave transponder-data-processor, normally kept in the vehicle. As the vehicle passes suitably equipped toll collection facilities, a toll transponder receives billing information from the vehicle transponder, calculates the toll, transmits it back to the vehicle transponder where the toll is electronically subtracted from a stored balance. If the resulting balance is not negative, a pass signal is flashed. The information stored in the vehicle transponder'"'"'s permanent memory includes a vehicle-owner code, a collection agent'"'"'s code and a vehicle-class code. The availability of this information and the toll, plus the procedure for increasing the pre-paid balance makes possible a computerized and automated double entry bookkeeping and funds transfer system. Security is achieved by crypto insertion codes. The stored current balance in the vehicle transponder is always indicated by a liquid crystal display.

Claims

1. A universally applicable, automatic, vehicular toll paying system comprised of,

a pre-paid cash balance registration means that electronically extracts stored data from and inserts a newly computed pre-paid cash balance into the memories associated with a vehicle borne transponder-data-processor, and then transfers all said registration data to an independent bookkeeping system,

a vehicle borne microwave transponder-data processor that permanently stores, in its read-only-memory, a vehicle-owner code, a payment agent code and a vehicle class code;

receives vehicle entry location data, by microwave transmission, for temporary storage in one of its read-write memories, and upon subsequent coded interrogation, transmits all said identification and entry location data, receiving back a toll amount from a pre-paid balance that is stored in a second read-write memory, said balance being visually displayed; and

upon completion of the subtraction, transmitting a code that indicates if the balance is negative or not,

a toll booth transponder-computer which periodically transmits, by microwave, an interrogation code and receives back from a passing vehicle transponder, following the interrogation, stored data from which said transponder-computer calculates a toll and transmits said toll amount back to said vehicle transponder, receiving back either a pass or reject code, or no response, said response activating appropriate vehicle pass or reject apparatus and the results of said transaction are transferred to an independent bookkeeping system, and

2. a toll system entry location microwave transmitter, that periodically transmits a fixed code followed by that entry location'"'"'s identification code.

3. A universally applicable, automatic toll paying method is comprised of the steps of,

electronically inserting the amount of cash pre-paid to a collection agent, into the memory of a vehicle borne microwave transponder-data processor by means of an individual entry code, said code being derived from said vehicle transponder'"'"'s permanently stored identification codes,

receiving and temporarily storing appropriately coded vehicle entry location data that is transmitted from a roadside data entry transmitter to a passing vehicle'"'"'s transponder upon its entry to a toll facility, said data being later used for a toll computation, and

transmitting permanently stored vehicle-owner and vehicle class identification codes, a collection agent code and temporarily stored entry location data, if applicable, from said vehicle transponder, after interrogation from a microwave transponder-computer located at an automatic toll collection booth, said transponder-computer upon receipt of said data calculates a toll and transmits said toll amount to said vehicle transponder where the toll is fed into a subtraction register, subtracted from the stored pre-paid cash balance, said balance being displayed to vehicle occupants, and if new balance is not negative, sends a transaction acceptance or rejection code to said toll booth transponder to actuate appropriate vehicle pass or obstruct apparatus, and finally enters said toll charge and vehicle identification codes into an independent bookkeeping system for purpose of billing the collection agent and serving other record keeping functions.

5. Same as claimed in claim 3, but where the vehicle transponder includes a tone generator that is activated when a negative or zero pre-paid balance appears in the cash balance memory following its interrogation.

6. Same as claimed in claim 3, but optionally including an independent means to check vehicle class or size at toll payment booth so as to verify vehicle identification class data stored in vehicle transponder'"'"'s read only memory, and also to include a means to inhibit vehicle passage if check is not positive.

7. Same as claimed in claim 3, but including a half duplex, amplitude modulated, data and clock transmission method in which clock information is sent as short pulses preceding each data bit and data bits consist of trapezoidal pulses for "ones" and no-pulses for "zeros", said composite signal is separated after reception by a differentiating circuit, an integrating circuit and diode thresholders in both circuits, said separation resulting in one output lead containing data and another output lead containing clock information.

9. Same as claimed in claim 7, in which the vehicle transponder includes a latched battery power switch that applies d.c. power to all circuits, except the transponder, the pre-paid balance memory and the display, which always receive power, and said switch, normally opened, is latched closed when microwave energy is detected, said latch being removed and switch opened upon receipt of end-of-transaction-signal, after which said switch is inhibited from being closed again for several minutes by a continuously powered timing circuit.

10. Same as claimed in claim 7 in which the vehicle'"'"'s microwave transponder is comprised of a single microwave device serving as both a detector of microwave energy and a source of transmitted microwave energy, being operated as one or the other sequentially by a d.c. bias across said device.

11. Same as claimed in claim 9 in which microwave transponder device is comprised of a microwave tunnel diode, a tuning inductor, a by-pass capacitor and two series quarter wave sections with a shunt microwave resistor between them.

4. A universally applicable, automatic toll paying system that is comprised of,

a cash balance increase registration means that connects with a vehicle borne microwave transponder-data processor to extract an owner-vehicle identification code, a payment agency identification code and the current stored balance;

adds the cash payment to the current stored balance gaining entry to said transponder for said procedure using a code determined from said identification codes by cryptographic procedures programmed into said register'"'"'s computer; and

reads out said vehicle-owner identification codes, the cash paid and the new balance into an independent bookkeeping system,

a vehicle borne, microwave transponder-data processor which stores vehicle entry location codes received from roadside data entry transmitters and upon interrogation from a toll collecting transponder, reads out and erases said entry location codes and reads out the permanently stored owner-vehicle identification codes and payment agent code, and then receives, by return microwave transmission, a computed toll amount which is read into a subtraction register, subtracts toll from said stored current pre-paid balance, the old balance being erased and said new balance is read into the memory and visually displayed, and transaction acceptance or rejection code is transmitted, telling whether subtraction results is a negative balance or not, and

a toll booth microwave transponder-computer that interrogates passing vehicles by coded, narrow beamed microwave transmissions requesting stored data from passing vehicle transponders, and upon receipt of said stored data, calculates the toll, transmits toll amount by coded microwave transmission, and subsequently receives a transaction approval or rejection code which activates appropriate vehicle pass or reject mechanism and also transfers said toll, vehicle owner identification code and payment agent code into an independent bookkeeping system.

8. A universally applicable, automatic toll paying apparatus comprised of,

a vehicle mounted microwave transponder-data processor, which includes a wide beam microwave antenna;

a microwave detector and very low power transmitter;

a permanent read only memory;

a temporary read-write memory;

a shift register for performing subtraction;

a read-write memory and associated electronic display for retaining current cash balance;

transaction sequence control circuitry; and

a decoder that responds to an individually derived crypto code, which controls balance increasing transactions,

a toll booth microwave transponder-computer which includes a relatively narrow beam microwave antenna;

a moderate power microwave transmitter and super heterodyne receiver;

a computer, for computing a toll from received information;

a vehicle pass means for responding to a received transaction approval code;

a means for transferring toll and vehicle and collection agent codes from computer into an independent bookkeeping system, and

a microwave transmitter, located at entry locations to a toll facility where tolls are computed based on where vehicle entered and exited the facility, periodically transmits a vehicle transponder entry code followed by a code that identifies the entry location,

a cash balance increase registration means that includes a means for electrically and electromagnetically connecting said registration means to said vehicle borne transponder;

a microwave receiver-transmitter;

a computer for determining the correct individual entry code from the vehicle mounted transponder'"'"'s permanently stored identification codes;

a summing register, which receives the current stored balance from said vehicle transponder'"'"'s memory adds the cash payment and inserts new balance with said entry code; and

a means for transferring paid cash amount, current cash balance and vehicle identification codes into an independent bookkeeping system for cash and credit transfers.