Automatic fee charging system

• US 7,128,262 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Efkon AG (Strabag Se)
• Original Assignee: Efkon AG (Strabag Se)
• Inventors: Rieder, Helmut, Pammer, Raimund
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/203,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,091 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 705/13
• 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

A system for automatically charging fees when predetermined positions are passed, comprising a communication device (4) for dedicated short range communication (DSRC) that is intended for an at least temporarily stationary installation, and at least one mobile communication unit (7) for dedicated short range communication (DSRC); the DSRC communication device (4) provided to be stationarily installed is adapted for transmitting information identifying itself and thus, at least indirectly, its position of installation to the mobile DSRC communication unit (7).

Claims

1. A system for automatically charging fees when pre-determined positions are passed, comprising a stationarily installed infrared communication device, and at least one mobile infrared communication unit, wherein the infrared communication device is adapted for transmitting information identifying itself and, thus, its position of installation together with information regarding fees taken from a memory to the mobile infrared communication unit, and the mobile infrared communication unit comprises a fee determining unit for autonomously determining the respective fee on the basis of the fee information transmitted by the infrared communication device, as well as a booking unit for entering the determined fee in a value account.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared communication device is an infrared transmitter for an exclusive information transmission to the mobile communication unit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared communication device comprises a clock and transmits information indicating the respective point of time of transmission with the information identifying itself.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the fee is deducted via a mobile value memory.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the fee is deducted from an external account.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the fee is deducted via a subscriber meter of a telephone account.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit comprises a cryptographic unit.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the cryptographic unit comprises a temporarily changing encoder.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared communication device comprises a cryptographic unit.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit comprises a memory for storing the information transmitted by the infrared communication device.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit is equipped with an infrared transmitter, and the infrared communication device comprises an infrared receiver and an associated fee charging unit.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit comprises a mobile radio device.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit is in connection with the mobile radio device via an infrared equipment.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit is directly connected in one unit to the mobile radio device.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit shares one housing with the mobile radio device.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein the mobile radio device is adapted for transmitting information to a central data processing machine.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the mobile radio device is a cellular phone electrically connected to a hands-free talking device.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the mobile infrared communication unit is connected to the electrical connecting point between the cellular phone and the hands-free talking device.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared communication device comprises a mobile radio device.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared communication device comprises a solar energy device as a power supply.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared communication device is adapted to carry out a self-test, e.g. for checking the power supply, or the functioning of the communication device, respectively.

22. A system for automatically charging fees when pre-determined positions are passed, comprising:

a stationarily installed infrared communication device in the form of an infrared transmitter wherein the infrared communication device comprises a clock and transmits information indicating the respective point of time of transmission with the information identifying itself; and

at least one mobile infrared communication unit, wherein the infrared communication device is adapted for transmitting information identifying itself exclusively to the mobile communication unit and, thus, its position of installation together with information regarding fees taken from a memory to the mobile infrared communication unit, and the mobile infrared communication unit comprises a fee determining unit for autonomously determining the respective fee on the basis of the fee information transmitted by the infrared communication device, as well as a booking unit for entering the determined fee in a value account.