In-vehicle apparatus and service providing system

• US 6,937,162 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Ichiro, Tokitsu, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US09/950,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 340/928, 340/933, 340/932.2, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/459, 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 701/29
• US Class Current: 340/928
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

If acquisition of measured position and time data (position/time) from a position detection unit fails, a “GPS OFF mode” is set, and the latest position and time data is stored as start data. Thereafter, when the position and time data is obtained successfully, and the operation is recovered from the “GPS OFF mode”, the “GPS OFF mode” is cancelled. Also, the obtained position and time data (restoration data) is stored. Monitor data is formed from the start data and the restoration data. The monitor data is transmitted to a management center through road-vehicle communication. Also, history data of the position and time stored in the position detection unit during the “GPS OFF mode” is read. If the history data satisfies the toll charging condition, the toll charging data is formed and is transmitted to the management center.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a position and time measuring means that measures a current position of a vehicle and current time;

a communication means that communicates with an external management apparatus to exchange various information through wireless communication;

a toll charge control means that determines a running state of said vehicle based on measurements of said position and time measuring means and forms toll charging data if said running state of said vehicle satisfies a predetermined toll charging condition, said toll charge control means transmitting said toll charging data to said management apparatus through said communication means, said toll charging data including at least toll information and object identification information, said toll information indicating a toll determined based on said toll charging condition, said object identification information identifying an object to be charged said toll;

an abnormal condition detecting means that detects an abnormal condition in said in-vehicle apparatus; and

a monitor control means that forms monitor data when said abnormal condition is detected by said abnormal condition detecting means and transmits said monitor data to said management apparatus through said communication means, said monitor data including at least apparatus identification information, said current position of said vehicle and said current time measured by said position and time measuring means when said abnormal condition is detected, said apparatus identification information identifying said in-vehicle apparatus.

2. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information reading means for reading information from a recording medium that stores said object identification information, wherein said abnormal condition detecting means detects a non-inserted state of said information reading means as said abnormal condition.

3. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an auxiliary power supply means that supplies power to said in-vehicle apparatus for a limited time period when power supply for operating said in-vehicle apparatus from an external power source is turned off; and

a monitor data storing means that stores said monitor data formed by said monitor control means, wherein;

said abnormal condition detecting means detects initiation of power supply from said auxiliary power supply means as said abnormal condition; and

said auxiliary power supply means continuously supplies said power at least until said monitor data formed by said monitor control means is stored in said monitor data storing means.

4. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said communication means constitutes a communication unit;

the rest of said in-vehicle apparatus other than said communication means constitutes a main unit; and

said communication unit is detachably connected to said main unit.

5. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said position and time measuring means constitutes a detection unit;

the rest of said in-vehicle apparatus other than said position and time measuring means constitutes a main unit; and

said detection unit is detachably connected to said main unit.

6. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said abnormal condition detecting means detects disconnection of communication between said detection unit and said main unit as said abnormal condition.

7. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said detection unit includes a history data storing means that stores said measurements of said position and time measuring means during said disconnection of said communication between said detection unit and said main unit as history data; and

said toll charge control means determines said running state of said vehicle during said disconnection of said communication between said detection unit and said main unit based on said history data stored in said history data storing means once said communication between said detection unit and said main unit is resumed, said toll charge control means forming said toll charging data when said running state of said vehicle during said disconnection of said communication between said detection unit and said main unit satisfies said toll charging condition.

8. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said detection unit includes an auxiliary power supply means that continuously supplies power to said detection unit until said measurements of said position and time measuring means are stored in said history data storing means at least once when power supply to said detection unit for operating said detection unit from an external power source is turned off.

9. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication means is one of the following:

(I) a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) radio system that communicates with a road side unit located at a running route of said vehicle; and

(II) a wireless telephone.

10. An in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a program acquiring means that acquires an application program from said management apparatus through said communication means, said toll charge control means is embodied as a process carried out by a microcomputer, said application program to be acquired by said program acquiring means including a program for embodying at least said toll charge control means; and

a reacquisition control means that disables execution of said application program and makes said program acquiring means to reacquire said application program when one of the following occurs;

(I) said abnormal condition is detected by said abnormal condition detecting means; and

(II) an instruction to reacquire said application is received from said management apparatus through said communication means.

11. An in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a first interface means to which measured position and time data is inputted, said measured position and time data indicating a current position of a vehicle and current time;

a communication means that communicates with an external management apparatus to exchange various information through wireless communication;

a toll charge control means that determines a running state of said vehicle based on said measured position and time data inputted through said first interface means and forms toll charging data if said running state of said vehicle satisfies a predetermined toll charging condition, said toll charge control means transmitting said toll charging data to said management apparatus through said communication means, said toll charging data including at least toll information and object identification information, said toll information indicating a toll determined based on said toll charging condition, said object identification information identifying an object to be charged said toll;

an abnormal condition detecting means that detects an abnormal condition in said in-vehicle apparatus; and

a monitor control means that forms monitor data when said abnormal condition is detected by said abnormal condition detecting means and transmits said monitor data to said management apparatus through said communication means, said monitor data including at least said measured position and time data inputted through said first interface means.

12. An in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a position and time measuring means that measures a current position of a vehicle and current time;

a second interface means to which a communication device is connected, said communication device communicating with an external management apparatus to exchange various information through wireless communication;

a toll charge control means that determines a running state of said vehicle based on measurements of said position and time measuring means and forms toll charging data if said running state of said vehicle satisfies a predetermined toll charging condition, said toll charge control means outputting said toll charging data through said second interface means, said toll charging data including at least toll information and object identification information, said toll information indicating a toll determined based on said toll charging condition, said object identification information identifying an object to be charged said toll;

an abnormal condition detecting means that detects an abnormal condition in said in-vehicle apparatus; and

a monitor control means that forms monitor data when said abnormal condition is detected by said abnormal condition detecting means and outputs said monitor data through said second interface means, said monitor data including at least said current position of said vehicle and said current time measured by said position and time measuring means when said abnormal condition is detected.

13. An in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

a first interface means to which measured position and time data is inputted, said measured position and time data indicating a current position of a vehicle and current time;

a second interface means to which a communication device is connected, said communication device communicating with an external management apparatus to exchange various information through wireless communication;

toll charge control means that determines a running state of said vehicle based on said measured position and time data inputted through said first interface means and forms toll charging data if said running state of said vehicle satisfies a predetermined toll charging condition, said toll charge control means outputting said toll charging data through said second interface means, said toll charging data including at least toll information and object identification information, said toll information indicating a toll determined based on said toll charging condition, said object identification information identifying an object to be charged said toll;

an abnormal condition detecting means that detects an abnormal condition in said in-vehicle apparatus; and

a monitor control means that forms monitor data when said abnormal condition is detected by said abnormal condition detecting means and outputs said monitor data through said second interface means, said monitor data including at least said measured position and time data inputted through said first interface means.

14. A service providing system that makes an in-vehicle apparatus to acquire an application program through wireless communication with an external management apparatus and also makes said in-vehicle apparatus to execute said application program to provide a particular service through said in-vehicle apparatus, said service providing system disabling execution of said application program by said in-vehicle apparatus when an abnormal condition of said in-vehicle apparatus is detected, said service providing system then making said in-vehicle apparatus to reacquire said application program.

15. A service providing system according to claim 14, said service providing system making said in-vehicle apparatus to store a setup log of said application program in said in-vehicle apparatus, said service providing system making said in-vehicle apparatus to transmit said setup log to said management apparatus through said wireless communication and then making said management apparatus to store said setup log of said application program, said service providing system comparing said setup log stored in said in-vehicle apparatus and said setup log stored in said management apparatus through said wireless communication from time to time, said service providing system regarding presence of a difference between said setup log stored in said in-vehicle apparatus and said setup log stored in said management apparatus as said abnormal condition.