Electronic toll collection system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for electronic toll collection in connection with a vehicle having a transponder, the vehicle travelling in a laneway, the system comprising:
- a vehicle sensor for detecting the vehicle in the laneway;
a first antenna for transmitting a first signal to the transponder and for receiving a response signal from the transponder and being disposed above the laneway;
a second antenna for transmitting a second signal to the transponder and for receiving the response signal from the transponder and being disposed at a side of the laneway; and
a transaction processor coupled to said first antenna and to said second antenna for controlling generation of said first signal and said second signal and for processing said response signal received from said first antenna or from said second antenna,wherein said transaction processor is configured to generate said second signal in response to detection of the vehicle by the vehicle sensor only if no response signal is received by said first antenna in response to said first signal.
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Abstract
An improved electronic toll collection system having two lane-based antennas per laneway. The antennas include an overhead antenna and a side mount antenna. The side mount antenna is disposed so as to communicate especially with license plate transponders. The two antennas are coupled to a transaction processing system for conducting toll transaction communications with a vehicle-mounted transponder through one of the two antennas.
73 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for electronic toll collection in connection with a vehicle having a transponder, the vehicle travelling in a laneway, the system comprising:
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a vehicle sensor for detecting the vehicle in the laneway; a first antenna for transmitting a first signal to the transponder and for receiving a response signal from the transponder and being disposed above the laneway; a second antenna for transmitting a second signal to the transponder and for receiving the response signal from the transponder and being disposed at a side of the laneway; and a transaction processor coupled to said first antenna and to said second antenna for controlling generation of said first signal and said second signal and for processing said response signal received from said first antenna or from said second antenna, wherein said transaction processor is configured to generate said second signal in response to detection of the vehicle by the vehicle sensor only if no response signal is received by said first antenna in response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A reader for use in a toll plaza for obtaining toll payment from a vehicle travelling in a laneway, the vehicle having a transponder, the reader comprising:
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a vehicle sensor for detecting the vehicle in the laneway; a first lane-based antenna positioned overhead of the laneway and having a beam path directed substantially downwards towards the laneway; a second lane-based antenna positioned at a side of the laneway and having a beam path directed substantially transverse to the laneway; and a transaction processing system coupled to said first lane-based antenna and coupled to said second lane-based antenna and including a transceiver for exciting said antennas to induce propagation of an output signal and for receiving a response signal from the transponder through at least one of said antennas, and wherein said transaction processing system performs toll transaction processing, wherein said transaction processor is configured to excite said second antenna in response to detection of the vehicle by the vehicle sensor only if no response signal is received by said first antenna in response to excitation of said first antenna. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for communicating with a vehicle-mounted transponder in an electronic toll collection system using a predefined communications protocol, said electronic toll collection system including a transaction processing system and, for a laneway in a toll plaza, an overhead antenna and a side mount antenna, the side mount antenna being disposed at a side of the laneway, the overhead antenna and the side mount antenna being coupled to the transaction processing system, the system including a vehicle sensor for detecting the vehicle in the laneway, the method comprising the steps of:
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propagating a first signal using the overhead antenna; if the overhead antenna receives a response signal from the transponder, then conducting a transaction process in accordance with the predefined communications protocol using the overhead antenna; determining that the vehicle is present in the laneway and, if the overhead antenna does not receive said response signal form the transponder, propagating a second signal using the side mount antenna; and if the side mount antenna receives a response signal from the transponder, then conducting the transaction process in accordance with the predefined communications protocol using the side mount antenna. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification