Vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system

• US 6,252,524 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Takikita, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/414,776
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/928, 340/937, 340/931, 340/932, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 180/275, 180/277, 180/167, 180/169, 180/287, 180/288, 307/10.4, 235/384, 235/375
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system for automatically charging a toll comprises a communication zone determining means for determining if the vehicle is within a toll collection communication zone by radio communication with a road-side machine, an insertion state detecting means for detecting if the storage medium has been correctly inserted into the vehicle-mounted unit, a suitability determining means for determining if the storage medium is suitable for toll collection, and an external control apparatus interface portion for sending and receiving data signals to and from a vehicle speed control device, the interface portion sending data to the vehicle speed control device for decelerating the vehicle if the vehicle-mounted unit is within the toll collection communication zone and is confirming if the storage medium is correctly inserted into the vehicle-mounted unit or is confirming toll collection suitability.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system for performing radio communication with a road-side machine and automatically charging a toll based on information in a storage medium removably inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit comprising:

a communication zone determining means for determining if said vehicle is within a toll collection communication zone by radio communication with said road-side machine;

an insertion state detecting means for detecting if said storage medium has been correctly inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit;

a suitability determining means for determining if said storage medium is suitable for toll collection; and

a data sending and receiving means connected to an external control apparatus for sending and receiving data signals to and from said external control apparatus,

said data sending and receiving means sending data to said external control apparatus for decelerating said vehicle if said vehicle-mounted unit is within a toll collection communication zone and is confirming if said storage medium is correctly inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit or is confirming toll collection suitability.

2. The vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system according to claim 1 wherein said data sent from said data sending and receiving means includes a required speed for said vehicle.

3. The vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system according to claim 2 wherein said external control apparatus comprises a vehicle speed control device.

4. The vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system according to claim 2 wherein said external control apparatus comprises a navigation system.

5. The vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system according to claim 1 wherein said external control apparatus comprises a vehicle speed control device.

6. The vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system according to claim 1 wherein said external control apparatus comprises a navigation system.

7. A vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system for performing radio communication with a road-side machine and automatically charging a toll based on information in a storage medium removably inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit comprising:

a communication zone determining means for determining if said vehicle is within a toll collection communication zone by radio communication with said road-side machine;

an insertion state detecting means for detecting if said storage medium has been correctly inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit;

a suitability determining means for determining if said storage medium is suitable for toll collection; and

a display means activated in response to said communication zone determining means, said insertion state detecting means, and said suitability determining means,

said display means performing a display urging the driver to decelerate said vehicle if said vehicle-mounted unit is within said toll collection communication zone and is confirming if said storage medium is correctly inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit or is confirming toll collection suitability.

8. The vehicle-mounted unit for a toll collection system according to claim 7 wherein said display means performs a display urging said driver to stop said vehicle if said storage medium is correctly inserted into said vehicle-mounted unit after said vehicle has entered said toll collection communication zone.