Vehicle-mounted toll-paying device that enables a safe verification of an inserted IC card

• US 6,834,267 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fuyama, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Meinecke-Diaz, Susanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): TARAE, CATHERINE MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/413,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 340/901
• US Class Current: 705/13
• 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 toll-paying device for use in a vehicle passing through a lane having a tollhouse in a toll collection system. In response to a driver inserting an IC card which at least stores a card ID in the card slot of the device, a traveling status of the vehicle is detected to indicate an immobile or running state. In case of a running state of the vehicle, the driver is prohibited from entering a code such as a card ID or password. If the vehicle is stopped, the code entry is permitted. In an embodiment, the codes of IC cards that have been validated are registered in the toll-paying device so that if the driver uses one of the registered IC card, he or she is permitted to omit the code entry for the IC card. Techniques for preventing the driver from leaving his or her IC card in the keyhole of the vehicle is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A toll-paying device for use in a vehicle passing through a lane having a tollhouse in a toll collection system, the device comprising:

means for permitting a driver an insertion of an IC (integrated circuit) card, which at least stores a card ID to use said IC card;

means for permitting said driver to enter a code associated with said IC card;

means, responsive to said code, for keeping an indication of the validity of said IC card during a period of use of said IC card only if said IC card is valid;

means responsive, only during said indication, to a detection of said tollhouse for executing a toll paying process;

means for detecting by using a car traveling status sensor a traveling status of said vehicle to indicate an immobile or running state; and

means operative during said running state for prohibiting said driver from entering said code and disabling said means for permitting said driver to enter a code.

2. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for prohibiting a user comprises means, responsive to said insertion of said IC card during said running state, for providing a message to the effect that code entering is prohibited while said vehicle is running.

3. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for providing a message comprises an arbitrary combination of means for providing a visual message, means for providing a voice message and means for providing a sound message, said arbitrary combination including a single item.

4. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 1, further comprising means, responsive to said insertion of said IC card during said immobile state, for prompting said driver to enter said code.

5. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for prompting said driver to enter said code comprises an arbitrary combination of means for providing a visual message, means for providing a voice message and means for providing a sound message, said arbitrary combination including a single item.

6. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 1, further comprising means, responsive to an input of data by said driver during said running state, for prohibiting a data entry during said running state.

7. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for prohibiting a data entry during said running state includes:

means for disabling said means for permitting said driver to enter a code; and

means for providing a message to the effect that said data entry is prohibited during said running state.

8. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 7, wherein said means for providing a message comprises an arbitrary combination of means for providing a visual message, means for providing a voice message and means for providing a sound message, said arbitrary combination including a single item.

9. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 1, further comprising means, responsive to a detection of an stoppage of an engine of said vehicle during said insertion of said IC card, for warning said driver to take said IC card before leaving said vehicle.

10. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for warning said driver includes:

means for displaying a message warning said driver to take said IC card before leaving said vehicle; and

means for giving said driver a vibration.

11. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for giving said driver a vibration comprises means for vibrating a driver'"'"'s seat.

12. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 9, further comprising means, operative in the event said driver is leaving his or her seat, for warning said driver to take said IC card before leaving said vehicle.

13. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 12, wherein said means for warning said driver includes means for detecting a presence of said driver at said seat.

14. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 13, wherein means for detecting a presence comprises means, located at said seat, for sensing a weight.

15. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 13, wherein means for detecting a presence comprises means for sensing a infrared light.

16. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 12, wherein said means for warning said driver includes means for providing a voice message warning said driver to take said IC card before leaving said vehicle.

17. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for retaining records of IC cards the validity of which have been verified, each of said record at least including an IC card ID;

means, responsive to the entering of said code, for searching said record retaining means for said code; and

means, responsive to the finding of said code in said record retaining means, for causing said driver to omit entering said code.

18. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 17, wherein said means for causing said driver to omit entering said code includes means for providing a voice message to the effect that the entry of said code is not necessary.

19. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 17, further comprising means, responsive to said validity verified by said means for keeping an indication of the validity, for adding an record for said IC card to said record retaining means.

20. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 19, wherein said record retaining means has a limit in the number of said record and wherein said means for adding an record for said IC card includes means, responsive to a determination that said limit has been reached, for deleting, from said record retaining means, at least one of said records according to priorities associated with respective records.

21. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 20, wherein said means for deleting one of said records includes means for deleting a record that was first registered to said record retaining means.

22. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 20, wherein each of said records includes a registration time and date and wherein said means for deleting one of said records comprises means for deleting at least one record that has a registration period exceeding a predetermined period, said registration period of each record being given by subtracting a current time and date from said registration time and date of the record.

23. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 20, wherein each of said records includes the number of toll payments and wherein said means for deleting one of said records comprises means for deleting a record that has a least number of toll payments.

24. A toll-paying device as defined in claim 19, wherein said record retaining means has a limit in the number of said record and wherein the toll paying device further comprises means, responsive to a determination that said limit has been reached, for disabling said means for adding an record for said IC card to said record retaining means.

25. A method of verifying the validity of an IC card inserted in a vehicle-mounted toll-paying device for use in a toll collection system, wherein said toll paying system comprises means for permitting a driver an insertion of an IC (integrated circuit) card which at least stores a card ID to use said IC card;

means for permitting said driver to enter a code associated with said IC card;

means, responsive to said code, for keeping an indication of the validity of said IC card during a period of use of said IC card only if said IC card is valid;

means responsive, only during said indication, to a detection of a tollhouse for executing a toll paying process, the method including;

detecting by using a car traveling status sensor a traveling status of said vehicle to indicate an immobile or running state; and

in case of said running state, prohibiting said driver from entering said code and disabling said means for permitting said driver to enter a code.

26. A method as defined in claim 25, wherein said step of prohibiting a user comprises the step of, in response to said insertion of said IC card during said running state, providing a message to the effect that code entering is prohibited while said vehicle is running.

27. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising the step of, in response to said insertion of said IC card during said immobile state, prompting said driver to enter said code.

28. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising the step of, in response to an input of data by said driver during said running state, prohibiting a data entry during said running state.

29. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising the step of, in response to a detection of an stoppage of an engine of said vehicle during said insertion of said IC card, warning said driver to take said IC card before leaving said vehicle.

30. A method as defined in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

retaining records of IC cards the validity of which have been verified, each of said record at least including an IC card ID;

in response to the entering of said code, searching said record retaining means for said code; and

in response to the finding of said code in said record retaining means, causing said driver to omit entering said code.

31. A method as defined in claim 29, further comprising the step of, in response to said validity verified by said step of keeping an indication of the validity, adding an record for said IC card to said record retaining means.

32. A method as defined in claim 31, wherein said record retaining step has a limit in the number of said record and wherein the method further comprises the step of, in response to a determination that said limit has been reached, disabling said step of adding an record for said IC card to said record retaining means.