Automatic car toll computing and charging method

• US 6,705,521 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jain, Ta-Wei, Jeng, Bor-Shenn, Wu, Quen-Zong
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/444,139
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/385, 235/383, 235/381, 235/375, 705/72, 379/355.09, 379/90.01, 379/900, 379/93.28, 379/355.06
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

An automatic car toll computing and charging method is provided. The method includes steps of employing a cellular phone to process a log in and a log out of a car toll computing; previously storing the connection between a cellular phone number and a vehicle identification number, or keying in said vehicle identification number or other car IDs sufficient to bring out said vehicle identification number in a billing center; and calling a specific number representing a log in of an automatic computing and charging through an on-vehicle cellular communication equipment and before a car enters a toll road or bridge and hanging up, and calling a specific number representing a log out of the automatic computing and charging after leaving the toll road or bridge. Consequently, the toll can be charged through calculating all cell IDs which by a cellular phone system passes theretrough during the log in and the log out.

Claims

1. An automatic car toll computing and charging method, comprising steps of:

previously storing the connection between a cellular phone number and a vehicle identification number, or keying in said vehicle identification number or other car IDs sufficient to bring out said vehicle identification number in a billing center; and

calling a specific number representing a log in of an automatic computing and charging through an on-vehicle cellular communication equipment and before a car enters a toll road or bridge and hanging up; and

calling a specific number representing a log out of said automatic computing and charging after leaving said toll road or bridge, so that said toll is charged through calculating all cell IDs which the on-vehicle cellular communication equipment passes therethrough during said log in and said log out.

2. The automatic car toll computing and charging method according to claim 1, wherein said toll road or bridge further comprises one or more inspection location having an automatic photographing device for recognizing a license plate, so that said car, which does not process said log in of said automatic computing and charging through said on-vehicle cellular communication equipment, or does not previously store said connection between said cellular phone number and said vehicle identification number in said billing center, or does not key in said vehicle identification number or other car IDs sufficient to bring out said vehicle identification number in said billing center, is recognized by said automatic photographing device when passing through said inspection location, and an image and said vehicle identification number of said car will be an evidence for processing a toll supplying.

3. The automatic car toll computing and charging method according to claim 1, wherein parts of said cells are microcells which have a relatively smaller communication coverage.

4. The automatic car toll computing and charging method according to claim 1, wherein said toll is paid by a finance account appointed through said cellular phone number.

5. The automatic car toll computing and charging method according to claim 1, wherein said toll is paid through withholding the cash in advance.

6. The automatic car toll computing and charging method according to claim 1, wherein said on-vehicle cellular communication equipment is a normal commercialized cellular phone in the market.

7. The automatic car toll computing and charging method according to claim 1, wherein said on-vehicle cellular communication equipment employs a hot key to call said specific number representing said log in or said log out of said automatic computing and charging conveniently.