Method and system for monitoring the proper operation of a debiting device

• US 6,388,581 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG (Datax Handelsgmbh)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Wolters, Ralph, Weber, Günther, Barker, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/744,896
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 340/928, 340/932.2, 340/933, 705/13
• US Class Current: 340/928
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A method for monitoring the correct operation of an electronic debiting appliance which is arranged in a vehicle and makes log entries on a mobile memory module in the context of a use accounting system for the use of a road network or for the entering of a stipulated geographical zone by the vehicle. The use of the road or geographical zone which is subject to charges is automatically recognized by the debiting appliance on the basis of data which is held in a carried memory device and identifies the roads or geographical zones which are subject to charges, and on the basis of data which can be received wirelessly in the vehicle from a navigation satellite system for the purpose of determining the particular current geographical vehicle position. A control device is used which is also set up for receiving data from the navigation satellite system. Besides the time of address, both the control device and the debiting appliance also record the respective data received from the navigation satellite system at this time on the respective nonvolatile memory. During the later control on the debits entered on the mobile storage medium in the vehicle being controlled, a check is carried out to determine whether the navigation satellite system'"'"'s data recorded in the nonvolatile memory in this vehicle at the time of address by the control device corresponds to the navigation satellite system'"'"'s data recorded for this time by the control device itself.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring correct operation of an electronic debiting appliance which is arranged in a vehicle and makes log entries on a mobile memory module in the context of a use accounting system for use of a road network or for entering a stipulated geographical zone by the vehicle, use of the road or geographical zone which is subject to charges being automatically recognized by the debiting appliance based on data which is held in a carried memory device and identifies the roads or geographical zones which are subject to charges, and based on data which can be received wirelessly in the vehicle from a navigation satellite system for purposes of determining a particular current geographical vehicle position, comprising the steps of:

transmitting an “

in order”

signal from the vehicle if the debiting appliance is operating correctly;

additionally recording identifying data for the uses section of the road network or of the entered geographical zone in the log entries on the mobile memory module, and also for the time of use, as a receipt;

wirelessly addressing the debiting appliance by a control device arranged outside the vehicle;

recording a time of address both in the control device and in the debiting appliance on a respective nonvolatile memory;

additionally transmitting an appropriate status message wirelessly from the debiting appliance to the control operation;

storing information in the control device, when there is no status message signaling correct operation of the debiting appliance, to identify the vehicle passing the control device and later subjecting the vehicle to a control;

receiving data from the navigation satellite system in the control device;

in addition to the time of address, recording the respective data received from the navigation satellite system at this time on the respective nonvolatile memory in both the control device and the debiting appliance; and

checking to determine whether the navigation satellite system'"'"'s data recorded in the nonvolatile memory in the vehicle at the time of address by the control device corresponds to the navigation satellite system'"'"'s data recorded for this time by the control device itself during a later control on the debits entered on the mobile storage medium in the vehicle being controlled.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, including recording the data received from the navigation satellite system at the respective time of address on the mobile memory module in the addressed vehicle.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, including operating the control device at a geographical position which is situated in a direction of travel of the vehicle shortly before a location at which, when the debiting appliance is operating correctly, a respective log entry is made for a section of road on which the vehicle is currently traveling or for the geographical area entered.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, including changing positions at which the control device is operated.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, including ascertaining, during a check on a debit on the mobile memory module, a precise position of the location of the vehicle being controlled at the time of address by the control device based on the recorded data from the navigation satellite system, taking into account correction data which largely compensates for a variation in measured signals, which is introduced by an operator of the navigation satellite system, in order to limit accuracy of position determination.

6. A system for monitoring correct operation of debiting appliances respectively arranged in vehicles, the system comprising:

a mobile memory module in each of the vehicles;

a plurality of debiting appliances respectively arranged in the vehicles and operative to automatically recognize use of a road which is subject to charges or of a geographical zone based on data which is stored in the debiting appliances and identifies roads or geographical zones which are subject to charges, and based on data received wirelessly in the vehicle from a navigation satellite system for determining a respective current geographical vehicle position, and make corresponding log entry on the mobile memory module carried in the vehicle in each case;

a device in each respective vehicle operative for signaling correct operation of the debiting appliance, each of the debiting appliances being operatively configured to record identifying data for a used section of the road network or of an entered geographical zone and also for a time of use in the log entries on the mobile memory module as a receipt; and

at least one control device arranged outside the vehicles along the road which is subject to charges or in the geographical zones, the control device and each of the debiting appliances being respectively equipped with a transceiver device so that the control device can wirelessly address the debiting appliance, the transceiver devices being operative to transmit a status message about correct operation of the debiting appliance to the control device, the control device and the debiting appliance each having a nonvolatile memory and being operative to record a time at which the debiting appliance is addressed by the control device on the nonvolatile memory, the control device also having a receiver for the data from the navigation satellite system, the control device and the debiting appliance each being operative to record, besides the time at which the debiting appliance is addressed by the control device, the data received from the navigation satellite system at this time on the nonvolatile memory.

7. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the transceiver devices in the debiting appliance and in the control device are each set up to transmit one of infrared signals and RF signals.

8. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the nonvolatile memory in the debiting appliance is identical to the mobile memory module.

9. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the control device is operative to receive and store correction signals for increasing accuracy of determination of the geographical position from the data from the navigation satellite system.

10. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the control device is a mobile installation.

11. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the control device is an automatically piloted installation.

12. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the mobile memory module is a smart card.

13. A system as defined in claim 6, wherein the control device includes a camera operative to automatically photograph the passing vehicle being addressed if the vehicle does not return a signal confirming correct operation of the debiting appliance.