Multiple RF read zone system
First Claim
1. A system for conducting a tolling transaction with a vehicle traveling on a toll road, comprising:
- a first RF source configured to create a first RF read zone proximate to the toll road and in a pathway of the vehicle, the first RF source configured to communicate with a transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within the first RF read zone;
a second RF source configured to create a second RF read zone proximate to the toll road and in the pathway of the vehicle, the second RF source disposed from the first RF source down the pathway of the vehicle such that the vehicle passes through the second RF source and the second RF read zone after passing through the first RF source and the first RF read zone, the second RF source configured to communicate with the transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within the second RF read zone; and
a processor operatively coupled to the first RF source and the second RF source and configured to;
attempt to complete the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle via the first RF source when the vehicle is located within the first RF read zone, andwhen at least a portion of the tolling transaction that was to be completed via the first RF source is interrupted such that the at least a portion of the tolling transaction is not completed via the first RF source, conduct the at least a portion of the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle via the second RF source when the vehicle is located within the second RF read zone, wherein the tolling transaction is completed with respect to the vehicle before the vehicle leaves the second RF read zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multizone RF read/write system for conducting transactions with vehicles traveling at high speeds. A first RF read zone is created, preferably by use of a first gantry that extends over at least one lane and contains at least one RF source that creates a large powerful RF read zone for reading or reading and writing to a transponder on a passing vehicle. Additional RF read zones arranged in tandem with the first RF read zone are created by at least one additional RF source that is located on an additional gantry extending over at least one lane, or located on the first gantry. Accordingly, multiple RF read zones are created to conduct transactions with passing vehicles. In one aspect, the multiple RF read zones can be used to ensure that tolling transactions with a single vehicle are more likely to be completed and have a higher degree of accuracy. In another aspect, the multiple RF read zones each employ a different RF technology so that multiple types of RF toll tags can be read and written.
72 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for conducting a tolling transaction with a vehicle traveling on a toll road, comprising:
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a first RF source configured to create a first RF read zone proximate to the toll road and in a pathway of the vehicle, the first RF source configured to communicate with a transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within the first RF read zone; a second RF source configured to create a second RF read zone proximate to the toll road and in the pathway of the vehicle, the second RF source disposed from the first RF source down the pathway of the vehicle such that the vehicle passes through the second RF source and the second RF read zone after passing through the first RF source and the first RF read zone, the second RF source configured to communicate with the transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within the second RF read zone; and a processor operatively coupled to the first RF source and the second RF source and configured to; attempt to complete the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle via the first RF source when the vehicle is located within the first RF read zone, and when at least a portion of the tolling transaction that was to be completed via the first RF source is interrupted such that the at least a portion of the tolling transaction is not completed via the first RF source, conduct the at least a portion of the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle via the second RF source when the vehicle is located within the second RF read zone, wherein the tolling transaction is completed with respect to the vehicle before the vehicle leaves the second RF read zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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11. A method for conducting a tolling transaction with a vehicle traveling on a toll road, comprising:
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attempting to complete the tolling transaction with a transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within a first RF read zone, the first RF read zone created by a first RF source and proximate to the toll road and in a pathway of the vehicle; when at least a portion of the tolling transaction that was to be completed via the first RF source is interrupted such that the at least a portion of the tolling transaction is not completed via the first RF source, conducting the at least a portion of the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within a second RF read zone, the second RF read zone created by a second RF source and proximate to the toll road and in the pathway of the vehicle, the second RF read zone in proximity to the first RF read zone, wherein the second RF source is disposed from the first RF source down the pathway of the vehicle such that the vehicle passes through the second RF source and the second RF read zone after passing through the first RF source and the first RF read zone; and completing the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle before the vehicle leaves the second RF read zone. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for conducting a tolling transaction with a vehicle traveling on a toll road, comprising:
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a first RF source configured to create a first RF read zone extending over at least one lane of the toll road, the first RF source configured to perform read and/or write communications with a transponder on a vehicle; and a plurality of second RF sources each configured to create a second RF read zone extending over a lane of the toll road, the plurality of second RF sources disposed from the first RF source down the pathway of the vehicle such that the vehicle passes through at least one of the plurality of second RF read zones and at least one of the plurality of second RF sources after passing through the first RF read zone and the first RF source, the plurality of second RF sources configured to perform read and/or write communications with the transponder on the vehicle; and a processor operatively coupled to the first RF source and the plurality of second RF sources and configured to; attempt to complete the tolling transaction with the transponder on the vehicle via the first RF source when the vehicle is located within the first RF read zone, and when at least a portion of the tolling transaction that was to be completed via the first RF source is interrupted such that the at least a portion of the tolling transaction is not completed via the first RF source, conduct the at least a portion of the tolling transaction with the transponder on the vehicle via one of the plurality of second RF sources when the vehicle is located within the second RF read zone of the one of the plurality of second RF sources, wherein the tolling transaction is completed with respect to the vehicle before the vehicle leaves the second RF read zone of the one of the plurality of second RF sources. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for conducting a tolling transaction with a vehicle traveling on a toll road using a dual RF read zone system, comprising:
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performing, by a first RF source, read and/or write communications with a transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within a first RF read zone, the first RF read zone created by the first RF source and proximate to the toll road and in a pathway of the vehicle, performing, by a second RF source, read and/or write communications with the transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within a second RF read zone, the second RF read zone created by the second RF source and proximate to the toll road and in a pathway of the vehicle, the second RF read zone in proximity to the first RF read zone, wherein the second RF source is disposed from the first RF source down the pathway of the vehicle such that the vehicle passes through the second RF source and the second RF read zone after passing through the first RF source and the first RF read zone; attempting to complete the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within the first RF read zone, the portion of the tolling transaction comprising the read and/or write communications performed by the first RF source; when at least a portion of the tolling transaction that was to be completed via the first RF source is interrupted such that the at least a portion of the tolling transaction is not completed via the first RF source, conducting the at least a portion of the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle when the vehicle is located within the second RF read zone, the remaining portion of the tolling transaction comprising the read and/or write communications performed by the second RF source; and completing the tolling transaction with the transponder associated with the vehicle before the vehicle leaves the second RF read zone. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification