VARIABLE RATE TOLL SYSTEM

• US 20070278300A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Finn, Peter George, Hamilton, Rick Allen, Dawson, Christopher James, Graham, Barry Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,320,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems

Abstract

A method and system are provided in which average vehicle speeds of tolled and non-tolled road segments between two locations are monitored and saved for reference in providing dynamic adjustment of the toll amount to be charged for use of the tolled segment in order to insure an efficient use of the tolled segment and a determination of an appropriate toll amount to be charged drivers in the tolled segment in view of real time traffic conditions of the tolled and the non-tolled segment. The toll adjustments are determined based upon the difference between actual average speeds of the tolled segment and actual average speeds of the non-tolled segment such that the toll adjustments are dynamic and depend upon real time traffic conditions in both the tolled and non-tolled segments of the travel route.

Claims

1. A method for determining a varying toll charge for use of a toll segment of a road, said road including said toll segment and a non-toll segment, said road being designed whereby drivers of vehicles are enabled to use either said toll segment or said non-toll segment to travel between first and second locations, said method comprising:

determining an average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment of said road;

determining an average speed for vehicles traveling on said non-toll segment of said road;

determining a difference between said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment and said average speed for vehicles traveling on said non-toll segment; and

using said difference in calculating a toll charge for vehicles using said toll segment, said calculating being accomplished by a computer device.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

inputting to said computer a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment; and

increasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is equal to or less than said free-flow average speed.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said toll charge is increased by an amount related to said difference divided by a first factor, said first factor being a constant number which when divided into said difference provides a predetermined toll increase, said predetermined toll increase being designed to deter drivers from using said toll segment.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

inputting to said computer a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment; and

decreasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is equal to or greater than said free-flow average speed.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said toll charge is decreased by an amount related to a second factor divided by said difference, said second factor being a constant number which when divided by said difference provides a predetermined toll decrease, said predetermined toll decrease being designed to encourage drivers to use said toll segment.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

inputting to said computer a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment;

increasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is less than said free-flow average speed; and

decreasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is greater than said free-flow average speed.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said toll charge is increased by an amount related to said difference divided by a first factor, said first factor being a constant number which when divided into said difference provides a predetermined toll increase, said predetermined toll increase being designed to deter drivers from using said toll segment.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said toll charge is decreased by an amount related to a second factor divided by said difference, said second factor being a constant number which when divided by said difference provides a predetermined toll decrease, said predetermined toll decrease being designed to encourage drivers to use said toll segment.

9. A programmed medium, said programmed medium being selectively accessible by a computer system to provide program signals, said program signals being operable for determining a varying toll charge for use of a toll segment of a road, said road including said toll segment and a non-toll segment, said road being designed whereby drivers of vehicles are enabled to use either said toll segment or said non-toll segment to travel between first and second locations, said program signals being further operable for:

determining an average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment of said road;

determining an average speed for vehicles traveling on said non-toll segment of said road;

determining a difference between said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment and said average speed for vehicles traveling on said non-toll segment; and

using said difference in calculating a toll charge for vehicles using said toll segment, said calculating being accomplished by a computer device.

10. The programmed medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said program signals are further effective for:

enabling an input to said computer of a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment; and

increasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is equal to or less than said free-flow average speed.

11. The programmed medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said toll charge is increased by an amount related to said difference divided by a first factor, said first factor being a constant number which when divided into said difference provides a predetermined toll increase, said predetermined toll increase being designed to deter drivers from using said toll segment.

12. The programmed medium as set forth in claim 9 and further including:

enabling an input to said computer of a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment; and

decreasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is equal to or greater than said free-flow average speed.

13. The programmed medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein said toll charge is decreased by an amount related to a second factor divided by said difference, said second factor being a constant number which when divided by said difference provides a predetermined toll decrease, said predetermined toll decrease being designed to encourage drivers to use said toll segment.

14. The programmed medium as set forth in claim 9 and further including:

enabling an input to said computer of a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment;

increasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is less than said free-flow average speed; and

decreasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is greater than said free-flow average speed.

15. A system for determining a varying toll charge for use of a toll segment of a road, said road including said toll segment and a non-toll segment, said road being designed whereby drivers of vehicles are enabled to use either said toll segment or said non-toll segment to travel between first and second locations, said system including:

means for determining an average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment of said road;

means for determining an average speed for vehicles traveling on said non-toll segment of said road;

means for determining a difference between said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment and said average speed for vehicles traveling on said non-toll segment; and

means for using said difference in calculating a toll charge for vehicles using said toll segment, said calculating being accomplished by a computer device.

16. The system as set forth in claim 15 and further including:

means for inputting to said computer a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment; and

means for increasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is equal to or less than said free-flow average speed.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said toll charge is increased by an amount related to said difference divided by a first factor, said first factor being a constant number which when divided into said difference provides a predetermined toll increase, said predetermined toll increase being designed to deter drivers from using said toll segment.

18. The system as set forth in claim 15 and further including:

means for inputting to said computer a desired free-flow average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment; and

means for decreasing said toll charge if said average speed for vehicles traveling on said toll segment is equal to or greater than said free-flow average speed.

19. The system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said toll charge is decreased by an amount related to a second factor divided by said difference, said second factor being a constant number which when divided by said difference provides a predetermined toll decrease, said predetermined toll decrease being designed to encourage drivers to use said toll segment.

20. The system as set forth in claim 15 and further including:

detector devices positioned at corresponding points along said toll segment and said non-toll segment, said detector devices being operable for detecting particular ones of said vehicles and determining an amount of time for each of said vehicles to travel between different ones of said detector devices on both said toll segment and said non-toll segment, said amount of time being used to determine said average speed of each of said vehicles, said system further including display means arranged for displaying said varying toll charge to said drivers.