Method and apparatus for the registration of a vehicle(s) in a free flow toll facility by tracking the vehicle along a path in the toll facility area

• US 5,859,415 A
• Filed: 03/14/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AB (Datax Handelsgmbh)
• Original Assignee: Saab-Scania Combitech AB
• Inventors: Olsson, Lars, Blomqvist, Kenneth, Hjelmare, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Gross, Anita Pellman
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL GUNYOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/553,514
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/384, 340/928, 340/933, 340/937, 340/941
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules

Abstract

A method registers a vehicle in a road toll facility that is provided with radio transmitter and receiver units (7). The radio transmitter and receiver units are configured to communicate with at least one vehicle unit (12) arranged in the vehicle (4). The vehicle unit is configured with radio transmitter-receiver equipment so that on receipt of a command from the radio transmitter unit (7) of the road toll facility, the vehicle unit communicates adequate data for performance of a debiting operation regarding a toll. Upon the entry of the vehicle into the toll facility area, the transmitter and receiver units (7) of the toll facility determine whether the vehicle (4) is equipped with a vehicle unit capable of performing a correct debiting transaction. The method distinguishes between vehicles for which the correct debiting can be performed and vehicles for which no debiting can be performed, and establishes a position for the vehicle by subjecting the vehicle to successive position measurements, and tracks the vehicle to a predetermined position where the license plate or other identifying characteristics of the vehicle that did not properly carry out a debiting operation is recorded for postdebiting of the toll.

Claims

1. Method for registering vehicles in a road toll facility, which is provided with radio transmitter and receiver units (7) the radio transmitter and receiver units are configured to communicate with vehicle units (12) arranged in the vehicles (4), the vehicle units being configured with radio transmitter-receiver equipment and configured so that on receipt of a command from the radio transmitter unit (7) of the road toll facility, the vehicle units communicate adequate data for performance of a debiting operation regarding a toll, characterized in that, on entry of at least one vehicle (4) into the toll facility area, detecting the vehicle by means of activation of at least one radio transmitter and receiver (7) when the vehicle (4) is provided with at least one vehicle unit (12) capable of performing a correct debiting operation, and logically separating from the vehicle at least another vehicle by determining that for the another vehicle a correct debiting operation cannot be performed and subjecting at least the another vehicle to a successive position determination by means of video cameras (9) and an image processing in which the vehicle is tracked between a position in a predetermined recording site, in which a number plate or other identifying characteristic of the another vehicle that did not correctly perform the debiting operation is recorded/read for identification and a position in which said determination of the presence of such another vehicle is performed, and which identification of the another vehicle is used for search and post-debiting of the toll.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the vehicle enters the toll facility area the radio-transmitter-receiver unit of the toll facility is activated to detect a first momentary position by measuring to the vehicle unit of the vehicle (12) and further detect said first position by means of position determination with the aid of the video cameras (9) and tracing, by means of the video cameras (9) and the image processing such vehicles which first position has been detected by means of a vehicle unit of the same, which is not provided to perform a correct debiting operation, to a position in said recording site, the result of the detecting operations being correlated to each other, for storing said recording and assigning it to the identity of the vehicle with the vehicle unit not provided to perform a correct debiting operation.

3. A system for registering vehicles in a road toll facility, the road toll facility includes with a radio transmitter and receiver equipment (7) configured to communicate with vehicle units (12) arranged in the vehicles (4) and including radio transmitter-receiver equipment and arranged so that on receipt of a command from the radio transmitter unit (7) of the road toll facility the vehicle unit communicates adequate data for performing a debiting operation regarding a toll, characterized in that the radio equipment (7) includes computer equipment configured to separate out the vehicles for which a correct debiting operation has been performed by means of the vehicle unit (12) from at least another vehicle from the vehicles for which the correct debiting operation has not been performed;

and the device further comprises video cameras (9), image processing equipment connected to the video cameras, and means for recording a number plate or other representation of the vehicle identity, the image processing equipment being arranged, by means of the image recording of the video cameras (9), to track the vehicles (4) during their passage through the toll facility between an entry position using the means for recording and any point in the road toll facility in which the radio equipment (7) including the computer equipment is arranged to identify the vehicles for which the correct debiting operation has been performed, and additional means for storing recordings identifying the vehicles for which the correct debiting operation has not been performed, but said additional means configured not to perform the storing of the recordings of the vehicles for which the correct debiting operation has been indicated as performed.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that the radio transmitter and receiver equipment (7) is arranged for detection of a first momentary position of the respective vehicles (4) by means of its vehicle unit (12) and arranged to transmit to the image processing equipment said first position of the vehicle and an indication to said storing means for storing the recording of the vehicle identity correlated to the vehicle, which by means of said tracking detected as present in said first momentary position and passing the recording site in the moment of recording the vehicle identity, in the case that a correct debiting operation has not been performed.

5. A method for administering a road toll facility with at least one vehicle traveling in a free traffic flow therethrough, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining when the vehicle approaches the road toll facility within a predetermined distance;

(b) determining a position for the vehicle using a first video camera as the vehicle travels in the road toll facility;

(c) identifying a number plate positioned on a visible area of the vehicle using a second video camera;

(d) assigning a recording unit to the vehicle responsive to the location of the vehicle when identified by the second video camera;

(e) determining the position and direction of the vehicle using the first recording unit as the vehicle travels in the road toll facility;

(f) correlating the position of the vehicle using the first video camera and the assigned recording unit;

(g) performing a debiting operation to collect a payment from the vehicle;

(h) determining whether the payment was received from the vehicle;

(i) classifying the vehicle in one of the following classes responsive to said determining step (h);

(i1) vehicles for which the payment was received,

(i2) vehicles provided with a transponder including transponder identification information for which the payment was not received, and

(i3) vehicles without a transponder for which the payment was not received,

(j) performing one of the following steps responsive to said classifying step (i);

(j1) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (i1), allowing the vehicle to pass through the road toll facility without maintaining identification information relating to the vehicle,

(j2) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (i2), tracking the vehicle using the first video camera as tracking information, and maintaining the transponder identification information and the tracking information for use in a later debiting operation,

(j3) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (i3), tracking the vehicle using the first video camera as the tracking information, and maintaining the number plate and the tracking information for use in the later debiting operation;

(k) performing the later debiting operation when the vehicle is classified in either of classes (i2) or (i3).

6. A method for administering a road toll facility with at least one vehicle traveling in a free traffic flow therethrough, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining when the vehicle approaches the road toll facility within a predetermined distance;

(b) determining a position for the vehicle as the vehicle travels in the road toll facility;

(c) performing a debiting operation to collect a payment from the vehicle;

(d) determining whether the payment was received from the vehicle;

(e) classifying the vehicle in one of the following classes responsive to said determining step (d);

(e1) vehicles for which the payment was received,

(e2) vehicles provided with a transponder including transponder identification information for which the payment was not received, and

(e3) vehicles without a transponder for which the payment was not received,

(f) performing one of the following steps responsive to said classifying step (i);

(f1) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (e1), allowing the vehicle to pass through the road toll facility without maintaining identification information relating to the vehicle,

(f2) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (e2), tracking the vehicle as tracking information, and maintaining the transponder identification information and the tracking information for use in a later debiting operation,

(f3) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (e3), tracking the vehicle as the tracking information including identifying a number plate positioned on a visible area of the vehicle, and maintaining the number plate and the tracking information for use in the later debiting operation;

(g) performing the later debiting operation when the vehicle is classified in either of classes (e2) or (e3).

7. A method for administering a road toll facility with at least one vehicle traveling in a free traffic flow therethrough, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining when the vehicle approaches the road toll facility within a predetermined distance;

(b) identifying a location of the vehicle and number plate positioned on a visible area of the vehicle;

(c) assigning a recording unit to the vehicle responsive to the location of the vehicle when identified;

(d) determining the position an d direction of the vehicle using the assigned recording unit as the vehicle travels in the road toll facility;

(e) performing a debiting operation to collect a payment from the vehicle;

(f) determining whether the payment was received from the vehicle;

(g) classifying the vehicle in one of the following classes responsive to said determining step (f);

(g1) vehicles for which the payment was received,

(g2) vehicles provided with an identification unit including identification information for which the payment was not received, and

(g3) vehicles without an identification unit for which the payment was not received,

(h) performing one of the following steps responsive to said classifying step (g);

(h1) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (g1), allowing the vehicle to pass through the road toll facility without maintaining identification information relating to the vehicle,

(h2) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (g2), tracking the vehicle as tracking information, and maintaining the identification information and the tracking information for use in a later debiting operation,

(h3) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (g3), tracking the vehicle as the tracking information, and maintaining the number plate and the tracking information for use in the later debiting operation;

(i) performing the later debiting operation when the vehicle is classified in either of classes (g2) or (g3).

8. A method for registering a vehicle in a road toll facility, which is provided with radio transmitter and receiver units (7), the radio transmitter and receiver units are configured to communicate with at least one vehicle unit (12) arranged in the vehicle (4), the at least one vehicle unit being configured with radio transmitter-receiver equipment so that on receipt of a command from the radio transmitter unit (7) of the road toll facility, the vehicle unit communicates adequate data for performance of a debiting operation regarding a toll, characterized in that, on the entry of the vehicle into the toll facility area, the transmitter and receiver units (7) of the toll facility determine whether the vehicle (4) is equipped with the at least one vehicle units (12) capable of performing a correct debiting transaction, thus logically distinguishing between vehicles for which the correct debiting can be performed and vehicles for which no debiting can be performed, and establishing a position for the vehicle by subjecting the vehicle to a successive position measurement by means of video cameras (9) and image processing, tracking the vehicle to a predetermined identity securing position, at which the license plate or other identifying characteristics of the vehicle that did not properly carry out a debiting operation is recorded for storing of identification characteristics which are used for postdebiting the toll.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that, when the vehicle (4) enters the toll facility area an initial position is determined both by measuring a first measurement to the at least one vehicle unit (12) through the radio transmitter and receiver units (7) and by measuring a second measurement with the aid of video cameras (9), and the first and second measurements are correlated with each other for the logical separation between vehicles with properly functioning vehicle units, for storing of the identifying characteristics of the vehicles without properly functioning vehicle units.

10. A method for registering a vehicle in a road toll facility, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a first position of the vehicle when entering the road toll facility;

(b) recording a representation of the vehicle by a first recording device;

(c) assigning the representation of the vehicle to a communication device;

(d) following the vehicle along a distance sufficient for the communication device to determine whether the vehicle is in one of the following classes;

(d1) vehicles for which payment was received,

(d2) vehicles provided with an identification unit including identification information for which payment was not received, and

(d3) vehicles without an identification unit for which payment was not received,

(e) recording vehicle identification information including a number plate or other identifying characteristic;

(f) performing one of the following steps responsive to said following step (d);

(f1) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (d1), allowing the vehicle to pass through the road toll facility without maintaining identification information relating to the vehicle,

(f2) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (d2), tracking the vehicle as tracking information, and storing the vehicle identification information and the tracking information for use in a later debiting operation,

(f3) when the vehicle is classified in accordance with class (d3), tracking the vehicle as the tracking information, and storing the number plate and the tracking information for use in the later debiting operation;

(g) performing the later debiting operation when the vehicle is classified in either of classes (d2) or (d3).

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said recording step (b) and said tracking steps (f2) and (f3) ensure that said assigning step (c) correctly assigns the representation of the vehicle that is classified by said following step (d).