Charging device for transferring information relating to the collection of a toll on a moving body

Abstract

A toll collection arrangement based on the position and travel of a vehicle. A charging area is defined with a buffer area surrounding it. Charges are made when a vehicle enters the charging area for the first time from the buffer area. Later excursions from the charging area into the buffer area and returns from the buffer area to the charging area are not double charged. Vehicle position information can be GPS based.

Claims

1. A charging device which charges based on map information without local infrastructure, the charging device comprising:

detecting means for detecting position information specifying the position of a moving body;

deciding means for determining a charge applicable area in predetermined map information and for determining a buffer area, which is defined by a first boundary line of a charge applicable area and a second boundary line around the first boundary line, located adjacent to the charge applicable area and an area other than the charge applicable area, and matching the map information with the position information, and deciding an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered into one of the charge applicable area or the buffer area; and

generating means for generating charging information for the moving body based on a result of a decision by the deciding means, wherein, when a history of the entry state is one in which the moving body moves from the charge applicable area to the buffer area and then back to the same charge applicable area again, generating of charge information relating to an entry into the charge applicable area is prohibited in the generating means.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the generating means is provided with storage means in which toll data that is determined in advance and corresponds to the entry state is stored in advance, and the charge information is generated using toll data of the storage means.

3. The charging device according to 2, wherein the buffer area is located between the toll area and the non-toll area.

4. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the charge applicable area is formed from at least a plurality of toll areas, and the buffer area is set between adjacent toll areas.

5. The charging device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of toll areas contain toll areas that have different toll systems.

6. The charging device according to claim 5, wherein the buffer area is provided for each plurality of toll areas.

7. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein a toll for the buffer area is set based on a toll of one of adjacent areas.

8. The charging device according to claim 7, wherein a toll for the buffer area is set based on a toll of an area selected from a plurality of areas surrounding the buffer area.

9. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the generating means generates charge information relating to tolls determined based on a distance traveled in the charge applicable area.

10. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the generating means is provided with storage means for storing a distance traveled in the charge applicable area when the distance traveled bridges a boundary between adjacent areas, and charge information is generated based on the stored distance traveled.

11. A charging device which charges based on map information without local infrastructure, the charging device comprising:

detecting means for detecting position information specifying the position of a moving body;

deciding means for determining a charge applicable area in predetermined map information and for determining a buffer area, which is defined by a first boundary line of a charge applicable area and a second boundary line around the first boundary line, located adjacent to the charge applicable area and an area other than the charge applicable area, and matching the map information with the position information, and deciding an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered into one of the charge applicable area or the buffer area; and

generating means for generating charging information for the moving body based on a result of a decision by the deciding means, wherein, when a history of the entry state is one in which the moving body moves from the charge applicable area to the buffer area and then back to the same charge applicable area again, generating of charge information relating to an entry into the charge applicable area is prevented so as to prohibit double charging.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The inventions relate to a charging device. Specifically, the inventions relate to a charging device, and particularly, to a charging device for transferring information relating to the collection of a toll on a moving body traveling within a charge applicable area and the like and for implementing charge processing for the user of the moving body, and to a charging device that is mounted in a vehicle and that performs data processing for the payment of a toll arising from the use of a charge area at a point when predetermined conditions are met when a vehicle is driving through the charge area.

2. Description of the Related Art

A moving body such as vehicle that travels on a toll paying installation (such as a toll road) is charged in accordance with the type of the vehicle as well as the distance traveled on the toll road. In order to automatically collect the toll at an entry gate or exit gate of the toll road, a road-vehicle intercommunication system for performing wireless information transfer between an in-vehicle device and an on-road device is used. In this system, a communication device having an antenna for sending and receiving electrical waves (i.e. the on-road device) is provided on the road as an interrogator for seeking information on the relevant vehicle. In addition, a communication device having an antenna (i.e. the in-vehicle device) is provided in the vehicle as a responder for responding to the sought information.

Technology is proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-63903, in which a toll is collected from a vehicle based on the entry to the toll road (which is a specific territory), the exit from the toll road, and the route between the two.

However, when this type of road-vehicle intercommunication system is used to transfer information, it is necessary to install an on-road device at the entries and exits of the charge applicable area, such as the entry gates and exit gates of a toll road. If the area for which a toll is to be charged, such as a toll road, is-one-dimensional, the installation is easy, however, if the charge applicable area is set as a area or the like covering a wide range, it is necessary to install on-road devices at all of the entries and exits resulting in the cost increasing in accordance with the number of entry and exit locations.

In view of the above circumstances, the first object of the present invention is to provide a charge device having a simple structure that is capable of implementing charge processing for a user of a moving body.

Currently, tollbooths are provided along the route of a toll road and vehicles are made to sop there so that the charging operation can be performed. In this type of charging method, a large amount of labor and time are wasted in the toll collection and traffic becomes extremely congested around the tollbooths. Therefore, a system has been proposed in which devices for determining the passage of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as vehicle passage detectors) are installed on a plurality of routes and the charge is levied by determining which route of the plurality of routes a vehicle has traveled over. An example of this method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 9-212794. In this system, there are few branching routes and entry and exit points (i.e. interchanges). Therefore, in a toll road network in which the distances between interchanges is comparatively long, there only needs to be a small number of vehicle passage detectors installed enabling the system to be set up easily.

Moreover, because a prepaid card capable of having the balance thereof updated is used, when the vehicle exits the toll road, information indicating the route traveled by the vehicle is transmitted to an antenna terminal, the antenna terminal calculates the toll for the route traveled and transmits this to the vehicle, and the vehicle then deducts this toll from the prepaid card, thereby doing away with the need for the vehicle to be stopped in order for the toll to be paid. However, in a toll road network in which there is a large number of branch ing routes and entry and exit points (i.e. interchanges) as well as a large number of short distances between interchanges, but in which the total distance of the road network as a whole is large, there needs to be a large number of vehicle passage detectors installed resulting in the setting up and maintenance costs thereof be coming enormously expensive.

It is also possible to consider charges or traffic regulations in a specific area as a means of easing traffic congestion, reducing atmospheric pollution, reducing noise, obtaining regional revenue, or the like. In contrast to a charge area in which the highway network is a continuous distribution of narrow arteries, the charge area for a specific area such as that described above is an isolated area covering a large surface area. In this case, there is a high probability that the road network within the area will be complex, and the establishment of tollbooths for stopping a vehicle to collect charges is not feasible. Instead, the employing of an automatic charge processing system that uses prepaid cards is desirable.

The charging for a specific area is performed by first installing in a vehicle a GPS position finder and/or a gyro navigation position finder by means of which it can be confirmed whether or not the vehicle is in the specific area, and deducting a charge amount determined by the controlling authority from the balance on a prepaid card for each passage of the vehicle through the specific area, or for the total distance traveled within the specific area, or for the length of time the vehicle was inside the specific area. The balance of the prepaid card is then updated as the new balance. However, when the vehicle is traveling in the area around the outer edge of the specific area, there is a high probability that, due to errors in the positional measurement by the position finder, errors may occur in the detection such as the vehicle being recognized as being outside (or inside) the specific area when, in fact, the vehicle is actually inside (or outside) the specific area. As a result, it may be considered that the result of this is that the recognition (or supposition) of the vehicle driver and the automatic charge processing (i.e. the rewriting of the card balance) based on the positional recognition by the position finder are greatly at variance with each other.

In particular, in a pay per entry charging system in which payment of an amount set by a controlling authority is made for each single entry into the specific area (i.e. a single entry followed by an exit), the result is that there is a great deal of unevenness in the amount paid. For example, as is shown in FIG. 55A, if a single passage is made in a straight line through charge area 1, because the road is close to the outer edge of charge area 1, the entry into and exit from charge area 1 as detected by the position finder could quite conceivably be an erratic repetition of entries and exits as is shown by the two dot dash line. Because of this erratic movement, it might be automatically recognized that there were three entries, for example, when there was actually only a single passage, and the charge becoming multiplied by three.

In actual fact, when the system is one where a charge is made per entry which causes this type of charge processing result, the charge amount is low when the route taken passes through the middle of the charge area and skyrockets when the route passes near the outer edge of the charge area. Therefore, a possible outcome might be that the volume of traffic passing through the central portion of the charge area will be increased, while the volume of traffic near the outer edges of the charge area will be reduced. However, on the contrary, if the hope is to lessen the volume of traffic passing through the central portion of the charge area and increase the volume of traffic near the outer edges of the charge area, the result is the opposite to the one hoped for.

Moreover, as is shown in the aforementioned FIG. 55A, if the distance between neighboring charge areas is short, then not only is it automatically recognized that three entries have been made into charge area 1, but it is automatically recognized that two entries have been made into charge area 2. For example, as is shown in FIG. 55B, by making the distance between neighboring charge areas wider, it is possible to avoid erroneously detecting that an entry has been made into a neighboring charge area when no such entry has actually been made. However, it is not possible to avoid erroneously detecting that charge area 1 has been entered three times.

The second object of the present invention is to provide a charging device capable of regulating charging frequency for the passage of a vehicle near the outer edge of a charge area. The third object of the present invention is to stabilize this charging frequency.

SUMMARY

(First Invention and Second Invention)

In order to achieve the above objectives, the first aspect of the first invention is a charging device comprising: detecting means for detecting position information of a moving body; deciding means for determining a charge applicable area in predetermined map information and for determining a buffer area at a boundary between the charge applicable area and an area other than the charge applicable area, and matching the map information with the position information, and deciding an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered into one of the charge applicable area or the buffer area; and generating means for generating charging information for the moving body based on a result of a decision by the deciding means.

The second aspect is the charging device according to the first aspect, wherein the generating means is provided with storage means in which toll data that is determined in advance and corresponds to the entry state is stored in advance, and the charge information is generated using toll data of the storage means.

The third aspect is the charging device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the charge applicable area is formed from at least a toll area and a non-toll area, and the buffer area is set between the toll area and the non-toll area.

The fourth aspect is the charging device according to any of the first to third aspects, wherein the charge applicable area is formed from at least a plurality of toll areas, and the buffer area is set between adjacent toll areas.

The fifth aspect is the charging device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the plurality of toll areas contain toll areas that have different toll systems.

The sixth aspect is the charging device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the buffer area is provided for each plurality of toll areas.

The seventh aspect is the charging device according to any of the first to sixth aspects, wherein a toll for the buffer area is set based on a toll of one of adjacent areas.

The eighth aspect is the charging device according to any of the fourth to seventh aspects, wherein a toll for the buffer area is set based on a toll of an area selected from a plurality of areas surrounding the buffer area.

The ninth aspect is the charging device according to any of the first to eighth aspects, wherein, when a history of the entry state is one in which the moving body moves from the charge applicable area to the buffer area and then back to the same charge applicable area again, generating of charge information relating to an entry into the charge applicable area is prohibited in the generating means.

The tenth aspect is the charging device according to any of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the generating means generates charge information relating to tolls determined based on a distance traveled in the charge applicable area.

The eleventh aspect is the charging device according to any of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the generating means is provided with storage means for storing a distance traveled in the charge applicable area when the distance traveled bridges a boundary between adjacent areas, and charge information is generated based on the stored distance traveled.

The first aspect of the second invention is a charging device, comprising: host moving body position detecting means for detecting a position of a host moving body; storage means for storing data for charging relating to predetermined map information, charge applicable areas set in the map information, buffer areas set at boundaries between the charge applicable areas and areas other than the charge applicable areas, and the charge applicable areas; determining means for matching the map information with the position, and for determining whether or not the moving body has at least entered one of the charge applicable area and the buffer area; and charge processing means for performing charge processing for a host moving body relating to the charge applicable area based on a result of a determination by the determining means.

The first aspect of the second invention is the charging device according to the first aspect, wherein the charge processing means performs charge processing using an IC card on which balance information is stored.

In the first aspect of the first invention, detecting means detects position information concerning a moving body such as a vehicle or the like. A navigation system for mounting in a vehicle serving as the moving body which enables the display of a map for aiding traveling and providing instructions on a route to a destination can be used as this detecting means. As is commonly known, this navigation system can use a GPS system to easily detect the position of the moving body in which it is mounted (i.e. the host moving body), for example, a position determined by latitude and longitude. It is also possible to provide in the moving body a sending means such as a sender unit or the like for sending a signal that contains identifying data for identifying the moving body, and receiving on the ground the sent signal so that the position information is detected on the ground.

It should be noted that the detection of the position of the moving body includes a measure of error in the detection. When there is an error in the detection, the true position of the moving body is a position within a specific range relative to the detected position, the extent of which range is determined in advance in accordance with the detection error. Accordingly, the possibility that the moving body is within a specific distance, determined in accordance with the detection error, from the detected position is included in the position information.

Therefore, a charge applicable area is determined in predetermined map information and a buffer area is set at a boundary between the charge applicable area and an area other than the charge applicable area. The size of this buffer area is preferably set at a size that corresponds to the detection error. It is possible to further provide map information storage means and store the map information, the charge applicable areas, and the buffer areas in this map information storage means.

The deciding means, firstly, matches the position information detected by the detecting means with the predetermined map information. Namely, because it is possible to specify the position of the moving body from the position information, this position, for example, a position set as a latitude and longitude, is able to be matched with a vehicle on predetermined map information such as a map of a predetermined area from among maps of Japan or maps of the Tokyo area. Based on the result of this matching, the deciding means decides whether or not the moving body has at least entered either one of the charge applicable area and the buffer area. The charge applicable areas and the buffer areas are set on the map information. Accordingly, by determining whether or not the position of the moving body that has been matched with the map information is inside a charge applicable area or a buffer area, it can be determined whether or not the moving body has at least entered a charge applicable area. Namely, when there is an error in the detection, it is possible to use the position of the moving body based on the position information to match a specific area in which it is possible that the moving body exists with the map information. Accordingly, when the moving body is located in a buffer area, the moving body is not necessarily located in a charge applicable area. On the other hand, when the moving body goes beyond the buffer area and is located within the charge applicable area, then the specific area determined using the detection error, namely, the true position of the moving body is located at least within the charge applicable area. As a result, the deciding means sets as the entry state this indication of whether or not the moving body has at least entered into the charge applicable area.

The generating means generates charge information for a moving body based on the result of the deciding by the deciding means. For example, the toll that should be collected from a moving body within the charge applicable area is determined in advance. Accordingly, because a predetermined toll should be charged when a moving body enters into the charge applicable area, the toll that should be charged on the moving body that has entered into the charge applicable area is generated as charge information.

In this way, in the charge processing device of the present invention, because buffer areas are provided at the boundaries of charge applicable areas, and the position of a moving body detected by detection means is matched with map information, and an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has entered a charge applicable area is set, and charging information for the moving body is created based on this entry state, then even if there are detection errors in the detection of the position of the moving body, it is possible to accurately decide that the moving body is present within a charge applicable area, and it is possible to perform charge processing for the user of a moving body using a simple structure simply by generating charge information for a moving body in accordance with the entry state thereof, without having to install on-road devices in all the entry and exit locations such as entry and exit gates.

In some cases, the driver is unaware that the area in which the moving body is currently traveling is a charge applicable area or that the moving body is approaching and about to enter a charge applicable area. Therefore, in the charge processing device, by further providing a notification means for giving advance information, when the moving body is approaching a charge applicable area, namely, has entered a buffer area, expressing that the moving body is approaching a charge applicable area or has entered a charge applicable area based on the above position information, it is possible to notify the driver when the moving body has entered a charge applicable area or is approaching and is about to enter a charge applicable area, thereby making it easy for the driver to decide on a course of action relating to their entry into a charge applicable area or the like.

Note that, it is common for the amount of the toll to be collected from a moving body located inside a charge applicable area to be set in advance. Therefore, as in the second aspect, the generating means is provided with a storage means for storing in advance toll data set in advance to correspond with the entry state. Consequently, charging information can be easily created using the toll data in the storage means. This toll data may be set in a plurality of levels for the type of vehicle, the travel time, and the like and these may be stored as charge tables.

Non-toll areas such as public areas and the like may be contained inside the charge applicable area. Namely, the charge applicable area may comprise both areas where tolls are levied and areas where no toll is levied. Therefore, in the third aspect, a charge applicable area is formed from at least toll areas and non-toll areas and buffer areas are set between toll areas and non-toil areas. By using this format, even if the charge applicable area has a mixture of toll areas and non-toll areas together, it is possible to decide with certainty that a moving body is within a charge applicable area in which a toll is levied and there is no unnecessary toll collection.

Moreover, when the charge applicable area is formed from a plurality of toll areas, the toll may differ depending on which of the toll areas the position of the moving body was located in. Therefore, as in the fourth aspect, when the charge applicable area is formed from at least a plurality of toll areas, buffer areas are set between adjacent toll areas. By using this structure, even if the charge applicable area comprises a plurality of toll areas, it is possible to decide with certainty that a moving body is within a charge applicable area in which the relevant toll is levied and there is no irregularity in the toll collection.

In a charge applicable area comprising a plurality of toll areas, as in the fifth aspect, it is possible to provide toll areas in a toll system that uses a plurality of different toll areas. In this case, because it is possible to decide with certainty that a moving body is definitely inside a charge applicable area which is a toll area, toll collection using the correct toll system can be reliably performed.

The buffer areas are set at the boundaries between charge applicable areas and areas other than charge applicable areas. In some cases, the toll is set for the charge applicable area, and it is also possible to set a toll for the buffer area provided at the boundary thereof. However, there may not be only one charge applicable area attached to a buffer area. Therefore, as in the seventh aspect, it is possible to set the toll for a buffer area based on the toll of one of the adjacent areas. Namely, although a buffer area is set at a boundary, there are areas existing on both sides separated by that boundary, therefore, by setting the toll for the buffer area based on the toll of one of the adjacent areas, a toll that is appropriate for the buffer area can be set.

There are also cases in which a plurality of toll areas exist around a buffer zone. Therefore, as in the eighth aspect, it is possible to determine a toll for a buffer area based on tolls of areas selected from the plurality of areas surrounding the buffer area. If this format is employed, a toll can be set that is appropriate for the buffer area.

It should be noted that, in some cases, the moving body comes and goes between a charge applicable area and a buffer area. For example, the moving body may be traveling in the vicinity of the boundary between a charge applicable area and a boundary area. Therefore, as in the ninth aspect, when a history of the entry state is one in which the moving body is shown as moving from the charge applicable area to the buffer area and then back to the same charge applicable area again, generating of charge information relating to an entry into the charge applicable area is prohibited in the generating means. If this method is employed, there is no generating of charge information for an entry into the same charge area and unnecessary toll collection can be avoided.

As in the tenth aspect, it is possible for the generating means to generate charge information relating to tolls determined based on a distance traveled in the charge applicable area as a category for toll collection other than a vehicle entry. Namely, a charge can be made in accordance with the distance traveled within a charge applicable area.

In this case, as in the eleventh aspect, the generating means is provided with storage means for storing a distance traveled in the charge applicable area when the distance traveled bridges a boundary between adjacent areas, and charge information is generated based on the stored distance traveled. By using this method, there is no need to collect the toll continuously and the toll may be collected at the point when the moving body finishes traveling inside the charge applicable area.

In the charging device according to the first aspect of the second invention, the position of a host moving body is detected by host moving body position detecting means. As a result, the position of the host moving body can be specified by the moving body. An example of this host moving body position detecting means is the aforementioned navigation system. In the storage means are stored predetermined map information, charge, applicable areas set in the map information, buffer areas set at boundaries between the charge applicable areas and areas other than the charge applicable areas, and charge data relating to the charge applicable areas. The determining means matches the stored map information with the detected position, and determines whether or not the moving body has at least entered one of the charge applicable area and the buffer area. The charge processing means performs charge processing for a host moving body relating to the charge applicable area based on a result of a determination by the determining means.

As in the second aspect, the charge processing means is able to perform charge processing using an IC card on which balance information is stored.

As has been described above, according to the present invention, because buffer areas are provided at the boundaries of charge applicable areas, and charging information for the vehicle is created based on the position of a moving body detected by detection means and map information, then even if there are detection errors in the detection of the position of the vehicle, it is possible to accurately decide that the vehicle is present within a charge applicable area, and it is possible to generate charge information for a moving body in accordance with the entry state thereof and perform charge processing for the user of a moving body using a simple structure, without having to install on-road devices in all the entry and exit locations such as entry and exit gates.

(Third Invention)

In order to achieve the above described objectives, the first aspect of the third invention is a charging device, comprising: detecting means for detecting position information concerning the moving body; adding means for determining a buffer area in which a moving body may be expected to move to from a detected position based on position information concerning the detected moving body, and adding the buffer area to the position information; deciding means for deciding charge applicable areas in predetermined map information, for matching the position information to the map information, and for deciding an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered the charge applicable area based on the charge applicable areas and the buffer areas; and generating means for generating charge information for the moving body based on a result of a decision by the deciding means.

The second aspect is the charging device according to the first aspect, wherein the generating means is provided with storage means in which toll data that is determined in advance and corresponds to the entry state is stored in advance, and the charge information is generated using toll data of the storage means.

The third aspect is the charging device according to the first or second aspects, wherein the detecting means detects position information concerning a moving body based on satellite data from a position finding satellite.

The fourth aspect is the charging device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the adding means sets the size of a buffer area based on a detection error by the detecting means.

The fifth aspect is the charging device according to any of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the detecting means includes estimating means for estimating position information concerning a moving body based on at least one of a direction in which the moving body is traveling and a distance traveled by the moving body.

The seventh aspect is the charging device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the adding means sets the size of a buffer area based on at least one of a direction in which the moving body is traveling and a distance traveled by the moving body used in the estimating means.

The seventh aspect is the charging device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the generating means generates charge information relating to tolls determined based on a distance traveled in the charge applicable area.

In the charging device according to the first aspect of the third invention, detecting means detects position information concerning a moving body such as a vehicle or the like. A navigation system for mounting in a vehicle which enables the display of a map for aiding traveling and providing instructions on a route to a destination can be used as this detecting means. As is commonly known, this navigation system can use a GPS system to easily detect the position of the host moving body, for example, a position determined by latitude and longitude. For example, as in the third aspect, it is also possible for the detecting means to detect position information concerning a moving body based on satellite data from a position finding satellite. Moreover, it is also possible to provide in the moving body a sending means such as a sender unit or the like for sending a signal that contains identifying data for identifying the host moving body, and receiving on the ground the sent signal so that the position information is detected on the ground.

It should be noted that the detection of the position of the moving body includes a measure of error in the detection. When there is an error in the detection, the true position of the moving body is a position within a specific range relative to the detected position, the extent of which range is determined in advance in accordance with the detection error. Accordingly, there is a high likelihood that the position of the moving body as determined by the position information is within a specific distance, determined in accordance with the detection error. Therefore, the adding means determines a buffer area in which a moving body may be expected to move to from a detected position based on position information concerning the detected moving body. Namely, the buffer area is an area set as a range of positions specified by the position information and in which there is a high likelihood that the moving body will be located. This is added to the position information. As in the fourth embodiment, the size of this buffer area is preferably set on the basis of the detection error, for example, at a size that corresponds to the detection error.

The deciding means, firstly, matches the position information detected by the detecting means with the predetermined map information. Namely, because it is possible to specify the position of the moving body from the position information at the point when it is detected, this position, for example, a position set as a latitude and longitude, is able to be matched with a moving body on predetermined map information such as a map of a predetermined area from among maps of Japan or maps of the Tokyo area. Because the buffer areas are added to this position information, the buffer areas can be matched with the map information. The deciding means then decides an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered the charge applicable area. The charge applicable areas are set on the map information. Accordingly, by determining whether or not the buffer area that contains the position of the moving body that has been matched with the map information is inside a charge applicable area, it can be determined whether or not the moving body has at least entered a charge applicable area. For example, when the buffer area is completely contained inside the charge applicable area, it can be stated that the moving body is inside the charge applicable area even when the detection error is taken into account. Moreover, if a portion of the buffer area is contained inside the charge applicable area, the possibility is there that the moving body is not located inside the charge applicable area. Because of this, the deciding means decides an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has at least entered the charge applicable area.

The generating means generates charge information for a moving body based on the result of the deciding by the deciding means. For example, the toll that should be collected from a moving body within the charge applicable area is determined in advance. Accordingly, because a predetermined toll should be charged when a moving body enters into the charge applicable area, the toll that should be charged on the moving body that has entered into the charge applicable area is generated as charge information.

In this way, in the charge processing device of the present invention, because buffer areas are added to the position information of a moving body, and the position of a moving body and the buffer zones are matched with map information, and an entry state indicating whether or not the moving body has entered a charge applicable area is set, and charging information for the moving body is created based on this entry state, then even if there are detection errors in the detection of the position of the moving body, it is possible to accurately decide that the moving body is present within a charge applicable area, and it is possible to perform charge processing for the user of a moving body using a simple structure simply by generating charge information for a moving body in accordance with the entry state thereof, without having to install on-road devices in all the entry and exit locations such as entry and exit gates.

In some cases, the driver is unaware that the area in which the moving body is currently traveling is a charge applicable area or that the moving body is approaching and about to enter a charge applicable area. Therefore, in the charge processing device, by further providing a notification means for giving advance information, when the moving body is approaching a charge applicable area, namely, when the buffer zone is approaching a charge applicable area or a portion thereof is contained within the charge applicable area, expressing that the moving body is approaching a charge applicable area or has entered a charge applicable area based on the above position information, it is possible to notify the driver when the moving body has entered a charge applicable area or is approaching and is about to enter a charge applicable area, thereby making it easy for the driver to decide on a course of action relating to their entry into a charge applicable area or the like.

Note that, it is common for the amount of the toll to be collected from a moving body located inside a charge applicable area to be set in advance. Therefore, as in the second aspect, the generating means is provided with a storage means for storing in advance toll data set in advance to correspond with the entry state. Consequently, charging information can be easily created using the toll data in the storage means. This toll data may be set in a plurality of levels for the type of vehicle, the travel time, and the like and these may be stored as charge tables.

If a moving body such as a vehicle, travels through a tunnel or a region where radio waves are obstructed, the detecting means is unable to detect position information. Therefore, as in the fifth aspect, by including in the detecting means estimating means for estimating position information concerning a moving body based on at least one of a direction in which the moving body is traveling and a distance traveled by the moving body, it is possible for the detecting means to specify its own position from the distance traveled or direction of travel of the moving body or from a combination of these.

In this case, because the buffer area is set at the same size as when the position information was able to be detected by the detecting means, in some cases, the setting of the entry state into the charge applicable area may be irregular. Namely, the estimation of its position by the detecting means using the direction of travel or the distance traveled by the moving body or using a combination of these may contain errors as compared to the actual position and it may be erroneously determined that the moving body has entered the charge applicable area using the position found by estimation. Therefore, as in the sixth aspect, if the adding means sets the size of a buffer area based on at least one of a direction in which the moving body is traveling and a distance traveled by the moving body used in the estimating means, for example, at a size larger than the size previously set, it is possible to improve the reliability with which the entry state into the charge applicable area is decided.

It should be noted that, in some cases, the moving body comes and goes between a charge applicable area and a buffer area. For example, the moving body may be traveling in the vicinity of the boundary between a charge applicable area and a boundary area. Therefore, when the entry state is stored in a time series as history and this shows the moving body as moving from the charge applicable area to the buffer area and then back to the same charge applicable area again, generating of charge information relating to an entry into the charge applicable area is prohibited in the generating means. If this method is employed, there is no generating of charge information for an entry into the same charge area and unnecessary toll collection can be avoided.

Moreover, as another category for toll collection other than a vehicle entry, as in the seventh aspect, the generating means generates charge information relating to tolls determined based on a distance traveled in the charge applicable area. Namely, charging can be performed in accordance with the distance traveled inside a charge applicable area. In this case, the generating means is further provided with storage means for storing a distance traveled in the charge applicable area when the distance traveled bridges a boundary between adjacent areas, and charge information is generated based on the stored distance traveled. By using this method, there is no need to collect the toll continuously and the toll may be collected at the point when the moving body finishes traveling inside the charge applicable area.

Note that it is also possible for the charge processing means to perform charge processing using an IC card on which balance information is stored.

As has been described above, according to the present invention, because buffer areas are determined and allocated from a detection of its own position by the detecting means, and charging information for the vehicle is created based on the position of a moving body as well as buffer areas and map information, then even if there are detection errors in the detection of the position of the vehicle, it is possible to accurately decide that the vehicle is present within a charge applicable area, and it is possible to generate charge information for a moving body in accordance with the entry state thereof and correctly perform charge processing for the user of a moving body using a simple structure, without having to install on-road devices in all the entry and exit locations such as entry and exit gates.

(Fourth Invention)

In the above system (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 10-37714), when the traffic conditions in a charge applicable area that has been set once change due to the date, or the time of day, or due to various environmental factors, then areas which no longer need to be charged for appear and new areas appear that now do have to be charged for. Moreover, sometimes a necessity also arises for the charge amount to be changed in accordance with price variations or changes in the traffic conditions.

However, in the above system, when charge information such as the charge applicable area and the charge amount is changed, it is necessary to rewrite the charge information recorded on the IC card in each in-vehicle device. This updating of all of the charge information at one go is very troublesome.

Therefore, in view of the above, the fourth invention whose aim is to provide a charging device for use in a vehicle capable of easily updating charge information is provided.

Namely, the first aspect of the fourth invention is a charging device, comprising: detecting means for detecting a current position of a moving body; receiving means for receiving charge information including at least one of charge area data and charge data that corresponds to the charge area; storage means for storing the charge information; updating means for updating charge information stored in the storage means based on the charge information received by the receiving means; and charge processing means for performing charge processing for the moving body based on the current position of the moving body detected by the detecting means and on the charge information stored in the storage means.

The second aspect of the fourth invention is the charge device according to the first aspect, wherein the charge information is delivered from a center by FM multiplex communication.

The third aspect of the fourth invention is the charge device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the charge device includes deciding means for comparing the charge information stored in the storage means with the charge information received by the receiving means and deciding whether or not to update the charge information stored in the storage means.

In the charging device of the first aspect, the detecting means detects the current position of the moving body. A navigation system for mounting in a vehicle which enables the display of a map for aiding traveling and providing instructions on a route to a destination can be used as this detecting means. As is commonly known, this navigation system can use a GPS system to easily detect the position of the host moving body, for example, a position determined by latitude and longitude.

The receiving means receives from the outside charge information including at least one of charge area data and charge data that corresponds to the charge area; storage means for storing the charge information. Note that, as in the second aspect, the charge information may be delivered from a center by FM multiplex communication. The charge data is data of the charge amount corresponding to the charge area. This data changes in accordance with the traffic conditions and also changes in accordance with the date, the time of day, or a combination of these.

The updating means updates charge information stored in the storage means on the basis of the charge information received by the receiving means. It is possible, for example, for the updating of the charge information stored in the storage means to always be updated to the information received by the receiving means. Alternatively, as in the third aspect, it is also possible for the charge device to include deciding means for comparing the charge information stored in the storage means with the charge information received by the receiving means and deciding whether or not to update the charge information stored in the storage means. The updating is thus performed in accordance with the decision of the deciding means. The comparison of the charge information stored in the storage means and the charge information received by the receiving means may, for example, be performed by including in the charge information for comparing the age of information such as the version or date and time of transmission or the like, and by comparing the information for comparing the age that is included in the charge information received by the receiving means with the information for comparing the age that is included in the charge information stored in the storage means. It is also possible for the charge information itself to be compared and a determination made as to whether or not there is a difference therein and the information updated if there is a difference. Furthermore, it is also possible to include in the charge information the effective date and time which shows from when the charge information becomes valid (i.e. effective) and comparing the current date and time with the effective date and time included in the charge information received by the receiving means and updating the charge information if the effective date and time has already arrived.

The charge processing means performs charge processing for the moving body on the basis of the current position of the moving body detected by the detecting means and the charge information stored in the storage means.

In this way, because charge information is received by the receiving means and charge processing is performed based on this received charge information, there is no need for the receiving side to read and update charge information from a storage medium. Moreover, it is possible to update all the charge information at one go.

As described above, in the fourth invention, because the charge information stored in the storage means is updated by the updating means on the basis of charge information received by the receiving means and then charge processing is performed by the charge processing means, the effect is achieved that there is no need to read and update charge information from a storage medium or the like and it is possible to easily update all the charge information at one go.

(Fifth Invention)

In the above described road-vehicle intercommunication system, transfer of information is performed by installing on-road devices at the entries and exits to charge applicable areas such as the exit gates and entry gates to toll roads, however, when the charge applicable area is set as a zone or the like covering a wide range where the entry and exit points cannot be specified, it is necessary to install on-road devices at all of the foreseeable entry and exit locations. In order to solve this problem, the present applicants have proposed a system in which the overall system structure is simplified by detecting the position of the vehicle at the vehicle side and transmitting it to a general center, and performing the charge processing for the charge applicable area at the general center side (Japanese Patent Application No. 10-37711).

However, in the above system, it is difficult for the driver of the vehicle to know where a charge applicable area is located, which makes it difficult for the driver to select the most suitable route cost-wise.

Therefore, in view of the above, the fifth invention whose aim is to enable a driver to easily determine whether to enter or to avoid a charge applicable area when selecting a route is provided.

Namely, the first aspect of the fifth invention is a charge area display device for use in a moving body, comprising: detecting means for detecting a current position of a moving body; storage means for storing information relating to a charge area; determining means for determining whether or not a charge area is included in a predetermined area that contains the current position of the moving body detected by the detecting means; notification means for making a notification that a charge area is located within the predetermined area when it is determined by the determining means that the charge area is contained within the predetermined area that includes the current position of the moving body; and charge processing means for performing charge processing for the moving body based on the current position of the moving body and information relating to the charge area stored in the storage means.

In the charge area device for use in a moving body according to the first aspect, the detecting means detects the current position of the moving body. A navigation system for mounting in a vehicle which enables the display of a map for aiding traveling and providing instructions on a route to a destination can be used as this detecting means. As is commonly known, this navigation system can use a GPS system to easily detect the position of the host moving body, for example, a position determined by latitude and longitude.

Information relating to the charge area is stored in the storage means. It is possible to include data specifying the charge area and data on the charge amounts determined in accordance with the charge area in this information relating to the charge area.

The determining means determines whether or not a charge area is included in a predetermined area that contains the current position of the moving body detected by the detecting means. This determination can be performed, for example, by measuring the distances to a charge applicable area in both the direction in which the vehicle is advancing and in a transverse direction substantially orthogonal to the direction in which the vehicle is advancing, and then determining whether or not these measured distances are within a predetermined distance. Note that the directions that are measured are not limited to the direction in which the vehicle is advancing and the transverse direction thereto. Alternatively, a determination may be made as to whether or not charge areas are contained within a range of 45 degrees on both sides centered on each direction.

If it is determined by the determining means that a charge area is included in a predetermined area that contains the current position of the moving body, the notification means gives a notification that a charge area is located within the predetermined area. Each time a notification is made, for example, it may be displayed on a display screen or may be announced aurally. Therefore, because it is possible to easily confirm that a moving body is approaching a charge area before the moving body enters the charge area, whether to enter or avoid the charge area can be easily decided. Namely, a notification is made that a charge area is located within a predetermined area when it is determined by the determining means that a charge area is contained within a predetermined area that includes the current position of a moving body, therefore, because it is possible to easily confirm that a moving body is approaching a charge area before the moving body enters the charge area, whether to enter or avoid the charge area can be easily decided.

The second aspect of the fifth invention is the charge area display device for use in a moving body according to the first aspect, wherein the notification means makes a notification of the direction that the charge area is located using the current position as a reference.

According to the second aspect, because the notification means makes a notification of the direction that the charge area is located using the current position of the moving body as a reference, the direction in which the charge area is located can be easily confirmed and the determining of the direction of travel is simplified.

The third aspect of the fifth invention is the charge area display device for use in a moving body according to the first or second aspect, wherein the notification means gives a notification by displaying the charge area in superposition on a map image of the vicinity of the current position of the moving body.

According to the third aspect, the notification displays the charge area in superposition on a map image of the vicinity of the current position of the moving body. For example, the color and brightness of the road of the charge area may be changed in the display, or a meshing pattern may be displayed over the entire charge area. As a result, it is easy to for the driver to obtain an idea of how far it is to the charge area and it is easy to confirm the range of the charge area. Note that the color, brightness, and halftone pattern may be altered in accordance with the remaining distance or with the amount of the charge.

The fourth aspect is the charge area display device for use in a moving body according to the first to third aspects, wherein the notification means gives a further notification of the charge amount that corresponds to the charge area.

According to the fourth aspect, because the notification means gives a further notification of the charge amount that corresponds to the charge area, selecting a cheaper route is simplified.

(Sixth Invention)

(1) The sixth invention is a charging device comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. a balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information (CRD) in the storage means; area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting whether its own position is inside or outside a charge area (i.e. the area j); information handling means (2) for generating the state information (i.e. RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that its own position is inside the charge area when there is no state information (i.e. RAEj=0) indicating that its own position is inside the charge area, and thereafter if the detection of whether the position is inside or outside the charge area changes from inside the charge area to outside the charge area, then the information handling means begins to measure how much time has passed, and if the detection of whether the position is inside or outside the charge area changes from outside the charge area to inside the charge area, then the information handling means makes the measurement of how much time has passed invalid and holds the state information (RAEj=1) continuously, and if a value for the measurement of how much time has passed exceeds a set value (TRj), then the information handling means (2) deletes the state information; and charge processing means (2) for updating credit information (the balance) in the storage means via the reading and writing means in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area while the state information was being held.

As a result of this, state information is generated (RAEj=1) when a vehicle enters a charge area and, thereafter, if there is a change from inside the charge area to outside the charge area (i.e. a departure change) in accordance with the inside and outside detection by the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2), and then there is no entry change from the outside of the charge area to the inside of the charge area within a set time (TRj), the vehicle is taken as having departed the charge area and the state information (RAEj=1) is deleted.

If this set time (TRj) is set at 24 hours, for example, then even if the vehicle makes repeated entries and exits into the charge area within that 24 hours, only one transit charge toll is levied. If the set time (TRj) is set at a time longer than the length of time between a departure change and an entry change when the vehicle is traveling within the charge area and close to the outer boundary of the charge area, then one transit is only recognized as one transit regardless of whether the vehicle is traveling near the outer boundary of the charge area or in the center of the charge area. If the set time (TRj) is set at a time longer than the length of time between a departure change and an entry change when the vehicle is traveling within the charge area and close to the outer boundary of the charge area, then there is a high likelihood that travel close to the outer boundary of the charge area will be recognized as a plurality of transits through the charge area and the number of acknowledged charge transits increases. If the set time (TRj) is set to 0, for example, then for each entry and each exit detection in accordance with the inside and outside detection by the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2), one transit charge toll payment is required and the number of acknowledged charge transits is at the maximum.

Accordingly, it is possible to regulate the frequency at which a charge is levied on what is actually one single transit through a charge area near the outer boundary of that charge area using the set time (TRj) (i.e. to regulate the number of acknowledged transits). If it is desired that the volume of traffic be concentrated in the center of a charge area, the set time (TRj) can be shortened, while, if it is desired that the volume of traffic be uniform over the entire charge area, then the set time (TRj) can be lengthened.

(Seventh Invention)

(2) The seventh invention is a charging device comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. a balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information (the balance) from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information (balance) in the storage means (CRD); information handling means (2) for generating the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that its own position is inside the charge area when there is no state information indicating that its own position is inside the charge area (i.e. when RAEj=0), and for beginning to measure how much time has passed and holding the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) continuously, and thereafter, if a value for the measurement of how much time has passed exceeds a set value (STR), then the information handling means (20 to 26; 2) deletes the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that the position is outside the charge area; and charge processing means (2) for updating credit information in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area while the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) was being held.

As a result of this, state information is generated (RAEj=1) and the measurement of how much time passes is started when a vehicle enters a charge area and, thereafter, after the lapsed time exceeds the set value (STR), if the vehicle is detected outside the charge area by the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2), the state information (RAEj=1) is deleted.

If this set value (STR) is set at 24 hours, for example, then even if the vehicle makes repeated entries and exits into the charge area within that 24 hours, only one transit charge toll is levied. If the set value (STR) is set at a time slightly longer than the length of time required to make one return trip through the charge area or to make one circuit around the charge area, then one transit is only recognized as one transit regardless of whether the vehicle is traveling near the outer boundary of the charge area or in the center of the charge area. If the set value (STR) is set at a time longer than the length of time required to make one return trip through the charge area or to make one circuit around the charge area, then there is a high likelihood that travel close to the outer boundary of the charge area will be recognized as a plurality of transits through the charge area and the number of acknowledged charge transits increases. If the set value (STR) is set to 0, for example, then for each entry and each exit detection in accordance with the inside and outside detection by the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2), one transit charge toll payment is required and the number of acknowledged charge transits is at the maximum.

Accordingly, it is possible to regulate the frequency at which a charge is levied on what is actually one single transit through a charge area near the outer boundary of that charge area using the set value (STR) (i.e. to regulate the number of acknowledged transits). If it is desired that the volume of traffic be concentrated in the center of a charge area, the set value (STR) can be shortened, while, if it is desired that the volume of traffic be uniform over the entire charge area, then the set value (STR) can be lengthened.

(Eighth Invention)

(3) The eighth invention is a charging device comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information (balance) from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting whether its own position is inside or outside a charge area; information handling means (2) for generating and holding the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that its own position is inside the charge area when there is no state information indicating that its own position is inside the charge area (i.e. when RAEj=0), and thereafter, if a period formed by a calendar unit greater than a day unit (a date) has passed, then the information handling means (20 to 26; 2) deletes the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means detects that the position is outside the charge area; and charge processing means (2) for updating credit information (balance) in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged for the charge area while the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) was being held.

For example, if the period of the calendar units is set at 1 day, then when the vehicle first passes through the charge area on a particular date, state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) is generated. When the date changes to the next day, and the vehicle is out of the charge area, the state information that was generated on the particular date (i.e. RAEj=1) is deleted. Accordingly, even if the vehicle makes repeated entries and exits into the charge area on that particular date, only one transit charge toll is levied. If the period of the calendar units is set to weekly or monthly, then only one transit charge toll is still charged until the week or month changes.

(4) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 16; 2) detects whether a position is inside or outside each of a plurality of charge areas (i.e. the charge areas j, j=1, 2, . . . ); the information handling means (2) generates state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) for each charge area address; and the charge processing means (2) updates credit information (i.e. the balance) in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged for each charge area (charge area j) while the respective state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) was being held.

For example, if the vehicle travels as is shown in FIG. 55A, then charges for all of the charge areas 1 to 4 are paid. If charge area 3 and the charge for charge area are thought unnecessary, then the space outside the areas between areas 1 and 2 and between areas 3 and 4 only needs to be widened.

(5) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein the information handling means (2) holds the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) in memory for holding information even while an ignition key switch (IGsw) is off.

When the vehicle stops (ignition key switch off: engine stopped) inside the charge area and then commences to travel again (ignition key switch on: engine operating), the state information (RAEj=1) is not deleted, therefore there is no second payment.

(6) The eighth invention is a charging device further comprising: notification means (2, 4B5, 10, SP) for urging that the storage means (CRD) be replaced when the updated value is a negative value; credit information processing means (2, 5) for updating, when there is a replacement, the credit information in the storage means after the replacement by the same amount as the negative value; and means (2, 4f2) for notifying the outside of the vehicle, when the storage means (CRD) has not been replaced, of an abnormality when set conditions are met.
(7) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein a set condition is the repeating of the notification urging replacement a set two times or more.
(8) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein a set condition is the passing of the set time (Tw).
(9) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein a set condition is the traveling of the set distance (Lk).

According to the above (6) to (9), if the credit information (balance) of the storage means (CRD) is a negative value, the notification means (2, 4B5, 10, SP) gives a notification urging that the storage means CRD be replaced. If the user (i.e. the driver) does not replace the storage means (CRD) at this time, then when the notification urging the replacement has been repeated a set number of times (2), abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality. Alternatively, if the set time (Tw) passes without the storage means (CRD) being replaced, the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality. Alternatively, if the set distance (Lk) is reached without the storage means (CRD) being replaced, the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality.

This abnormality notification means that there has been a charging illegality or a charging violation and a person with controlling authority can on the basis of this notification, for example, stop the vehicle and require that the charge processing be completed.

For example, in the embodiments described below, this abnormality notification is generated when, after the credit information (i.e. the balance thereof) has turned into a negative value, if there is no replacement after a replacement demand (involving repeating the notification that a replacement is required three times at predetermined time intervals—this is the first replacement demand), and thereafter, if there is still no replacement after a further replacement demand (the second replacement demand) that is made if the balance of the storage means when accessed in order to perform charge processing or to prepare for charge processing is still negative. Moreover, if the balance is still negative when the set time Tw has passed after the first replacement demand, as well as if the set distance Lk has been reached after the first replacement demand, then the abnormality notification is made to the outside of the vehicle. If the user replaces the card between the start time of the first replacement demand and the end time of the second replacement demand as well as within the set time Tw and inside the set distance Lk, then the abnormality notification is not made to the outside of the vehicle.

(10) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein the credit information processing means (2) registers the minus value in memory (abnormality history memory) when the storage means (CRD) has not been replaced in spite of the updated value turning into a negative value. When the balance of the storage means (CRD) becomes negative as a result of the charge processing and the payment thereof is not made, the demand for the payment (the negative value) is saved in memory. The demand for payment to be made is not deleted even if the storage means (CRD) is taken out.
(11) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein, when the storage means (CRD) is replaced, the credit information processing means (2) updates the credit information to information in which the negative value in the memory has been paid. As a result, the demand for payment (i.e. the negative value) relating to the storage means (CRD) is paid by the storage means (CRD) that has just been inserted enabling payment of the previous amount due to be achieved with certainty.
(12) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein, if the storage means (CRD) is not replaced in spite of the updated value being a negative value, the credit information processing means (2) registers the abnormality information in the abnormality history memory together with information concerning the point in time when the abnormality was generated. As a result, because information concerning the point in time (date and time) when the abnormality was generated is registered together with the charge avoidance in the abnormality history memory (2), it is possible to later pursue and confirm the charge avoidance.
(13) The eighth invention is a charging device, wherein the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) includes a display means (4f2) for displaying an charging abnormality in the vehicle towards the outside of the vehicle. A person with controlling authority can visually confirm vehicles with this abnormality display and stop the vehicle on the road and require that the charge processing be completed.
(14) The eighth invention is a charging device, further comprising: abnormality information reading means (2) for outputting data of the abnormality history memory in accordance with a specific input; and abnormality data erasing means (2) for erasing data representing an abnormality in the abnormality history memory in response to an erasure instruction with the condition that the abnormality information reading means (2) has output data.

A charging controller (i.e. an employee of the charging system operating body or a member of the police forces with responsibility for the system) who has stopped a vehicle whose display means (2, W4f2, W4f3) is displaying an abnormality gives a specific input to the abnormality information reading means and is thus able to output data of the abnormality history memory. In the embodiments described below, this output data is displayed on the display in a vehicle and is also printed out on the printer of a data collector held by the charge controller. It is also registered on the storage means inside the data collector.

The charge controller displays this printout and obtains an agreement on the contents of the printed data and is thus able to seek payment for the unpaid amount. When the unpaid amount is received the driver of the vehicle purchases a new storage means (CRD) with a sufficient balance, the charge controller gives an erasure instruction (i.e. an instruction to clear) to the abnormality data erasing means (2). Because the data is output first, the abnormality data erasing means (2) erases data representing an abnormality in the abnormality history memory (2) in accordance with the erasure instruction. As a result, the illegality information for which payment has been received is erased from the memory.

Because the data erasure of the abnormality history memory (2) is performed on the preconditions that the erasure instruction (instruction to clear) is input and data is output in response to a specific input, if only the charge controller is able to make the specific input, then the reliability of the protection of the abnormality (illegality) information in the abnormality history memory (2) is high.

(Ninth Invention)

(15) The first aspect of the-ninth invention is a charging device comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the card balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting whether its own position is inside or outside a charge area; information handling means (2) for generating j state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that a position is inside the charge area j when there is no j state information indicating that the position is inside the charge area j (i.e. when RAEj=0), and deleting (k) state information showing the position is inside other charge areas (k), and when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that a position is inside another charge area (k) when there is no (k) state information-indicating that the position is inside another charge area (k), the information handling means generates charge information for other charge area (k) addresses and deletes the j state information; and charge processing means (2) for updating credit information (balance) in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged for each charge area (i, k) while the respective state information was being held.

According to this aspect, when a vehicle enters a particular charge area j, the state information at another charge area (k) address showing that the vehicle until that time was in the other charge area (k) is erased and state information (RAEj=1) showing that the vehicle is now in the charge area j is created. Accordingly, as is shown in FIG. 55B, for example, when a vehicle is traveling through charge area 1 and charge area 2, then as it is traveling through charge area 1, even if the detection by the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) swings between in, and out, and in etc. area 1, the state information (RAEj=1) showing that the vehicle is in charge area j is held continuously. Therefore, when there is actually just one transit through charge area 1, there are no changes in the state information showing several entries and exits (i.e. where RAEj=0 and then RAEj=1 repeatedly). The same applies when transiting charge area 4.

(16) The second aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein the information handling means (2) generates j state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) when the area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) detects that a position is inside the charge area j when there is no j state information (i.e. when RAEj=0) indicating that the position is inside the charge area j, and thereafter if the detection of whether the position is inside or outside the charge area j changes from inside the charge area j to outside the charge area j, then the information handling means begins to measure how much time has passed, and if the detection of whether the position is inside or outside the charge area j changes from outside the charge area j to inside the charge area j, then the information handling means makes the measurement of how much time has passed invalid and holds the j state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) continuously, and if a value for the measurement of how much time has passed exceeds a set value (TRj) and if the area inside or outside detecting means detects that the position is inside another charge area, then the information handling means erases the j state information and generates state information for the other charge area address.

In the above first aspect, when the space between adjacent charge areas is narrow, as is shown in FIG. 55A, there are times when, for example, a vehicle is traveling through charge area 1 but is erroneously detected by the area inside or outside detecting means as being in charge area 2. In such cases, because the state information showing that the vehicle is in charge area 1 is deleted and state information showing that the vehicle is in charge area 2 is created, changes in the state information are generated saying that the vehicle has passed a number of times through both charge area 1 and charge area 2 when the vehicle has made a single transit through charge area 1. In the second aspect, if the area inside or outside detecting means erroneously detects that the vehicle has left charge area 1 and then, within a set time (TRj), correctly detects that the vehicle is inside charge area 1, the information handling means (2) keeps retaining the state information showing that the vehicle is located in charge area 1. Therefore, even if the determination by the area inside or outside detecting means as to whether the vehicle is inside or outside an area swings between inside area 1 and inside area 2 within the set time (TRj), there is no changing of the state information. Moreover, if the vehicle travels the route shown in FIG. 55B, and even if the vehicle travels the route shown in FIG. 55A, there is no change in the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1 or 0) showing that the vehicle has entered and exited charge areas 1 and 2 a number of times, when there is only one actual transit through charge area 1.

(17) The third aspect of the ninth invention is a charge, wherein the information handling means (2) holds the state information (i.e. that RAEj=1) in memory for holding information even while the ignition key switch (IGsw) is off. When the vehicle stops (ignition key switch off: engine stopped) inside the charge area and then commences to travel again (ignition key switch on: engine operating), the state information (RAEj=1) is not deleted; therefore there is no second payment.
(18) The fourth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device further comprising: notification means (2, 4B5, 10, SP) for urging that the storage means (CRD) be replaced when the updated value is a negative value; credit information processing means (2, 5) for updating, when there is a replacement, the credit information in the storage means after the replacement by the same amount as the negative value; and means (2, 4f2) for notifying the outside of the vehicle, when the storage means (CRD) has not been replaced, of an abnormality when set conditions are met.
(19) The fifth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein a set condition is the repeating of the notification urging replacement a set two times or more.
(20) The sixth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein a set condition is the passing of the set time (Tw).
(21) The seventh aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein a set condition is the traveling of the set distance (Lk).

According to the above fourth to seventh aspects, if the credit information (balance) of the storage means (CRD) is a negative value, the notification means (2, 4B5, 10, SP) gives a notification urging that the storage means CRD be replaced. If the user (i.e. the driver) does not replace the storage means (CRD) at this time, then when the notification urging the replacement has been repeated a set number of times (2), abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality. Alternatively, if the set time (Tw) passes without the storage means (CRD) being replaced, the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality. Alternatively, if the set distance (Lk) is reached without the storage means (CRD) being replaced, the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality.

This abnormality notification means that there has been a charging illegality or a charging violation and a person with controlling authority can on the basis of this notification, for example, stop the vehicle and require that the charge processing be completed.

For example, in the embodiments described below, this abnormality notification is generated when, after the credit information (i.e. the balance thereof) has turned into a negative value, if there is no replacement after a replacement demand (involving repeating the notification that a replacement is required three times at predetermined time intervals—this is the first replacement demand), and thereafter, if there is still no replacement after a further replacement demand (the second replacement demand) that is made if the balance of the storage means when accessed in order to perform charge processing or to prepare for charge processing is still negative. Moreover, if the balance is still negative when the set time Tw has passed after the first replacement demand, as well as if the set distance Lk has been reached after the first replacement demand, then the abnormality notification is made to the outside of the vehicle. If the user replaces the card between the start time of the first replacement demand and the end time of the second replacement demand as well as within the set time Tw and inside the set distance Lk, then the abnormality notification is not made to the outside of the vehicle.

(22) The eighth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein the credit information processing means (2) registers the minus value in memory (abnormality history memory) when the storage means (CRD) has not been replaced in spite of the updated value turning into a negative value. When the balance of the storage means (CRD) becomes negative as a result of the charge processing and the payment thereof is not made, the demand for the payment (the negative value) is saved in memory. The demand for payment to be made is not deleted even if the storage means (CRD) is taken out.
(23) The ninth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein, when the storage means (CRD) is replaced, the credit information processing means (2) updates the credit information to information in which the negative value in the memory has been paid. As a result, the demand for payment (i.e. the negative value) relating to the storage means (CRD) is paid by the storage means (CRD) that has just been inserted enabling payment of the previous amount due to be achieved with certainty.
(24) The tenth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein, if the storage means (CRD) is not replaced in spite of the updated value being a negative value, the credit information processing means (2) registers the abnormality information in the abnormality history memory together with information concerning the point in time when the abnormality was generated. As a result, because information concerning the point in time (date and time) when the abnormality was generated is registered together with the charge avoidance in the abnormality history memory (2), it is possible to later pursue and confirm the charge avoidance.
(25) The eleventh aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, wherein the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) includes a display means (4f2) for displaying an charging abnormality in the vehicle towards the outside of the vehicle. A person with controlling authority can visually confirm vehicles with this abnormality display and stop the vehicle on the road and require that the charge processing be completed.
(26) The twelfth aspect of the ninth invention is a charging device, further comprising: abnormality information reading means (2) for outputting data of the abnormality history memory in accordance with a specific input; and abnormality data erasing means (2) for erasing data representing an abnormality in the abnormality history memory in response to an erasure instruction with the condition that the abnormality information reading means (2) has output data. In this case, a charging controller (i.e. an employee of the charging system operating body or a member of the police forces with responsibility for the system) who has stopped a vehicle whose display means (2, W4f2, W4f3) is displaying an abnormality gives a specific input to the abnormality information reading means and is thus able to output data of the abnormality history memory. In the embodiments described below, this output data is displayed on the display in a vehicle and is also printed out on the printer of a data collector held by the charge controller. It is also registered on the storage means inside the data collector.

The charge controller displays this printout and obtains an agreement on the contents of the printed data and is thus able to seek payment for the unpaid amount. When the unpaid amount is received the driver of the vehicle purchases a new storage means (CRD) with a sufficient balance, the charge controller gives an erasure instruction (i.e. an instruction to clear) to the abnormality data erasing means (2). Because the data is output first, the abnormality data erasing means (2) erases data representing an abnormality in the abnormality history memory (2) in accordance with the erasure instruction. As a result, the illegality information for which payment has been received is erased from the memory.

Because the data erasure of the abnormality history memory (2) is performed on the preconditions that the erasure instruction (instruction to clear) is input and data is output in response to a specific input, if only the charge controller is able to make the specific input, then the reliability of the protection of the abnormality (illegality) information in the abnormality history memory (2) is high.

(Tenth Invention)

According to the above described charge processing, it is possible to perform charge processing to achieve various objectives. This can be achieved by establishing various charge categories, for example, entry into an area, distance traveled within an area, travel time within an area, and time spent in congested traffic). For example, if an area in which the level of traffic congestion needs to be reduced is set as a charge area, and by measuring the length of time spent in this area when traffic is congested (for example, is traveling at less than 20 Km/h) and charging a toll based on time units for this length of time, then by increasing the cost of driving through such a congested area, drivers can be made to want themselves to avoid congested areas.

Conventionally, when a vehicle enters a charge area, by referring to charge tables for that charge area, and by determining what type of charging categories apply in that charge area, for example, if the charge area is one based on vehicle entry into the area, then payment processing (data processing to deduct the toll from a card) is performed to levy the toll each time a vehicle enters the area. If the area is one where tolls are based on distance traveled (or length of stay), then measuring of the distance traveled (or length of stay) within the area is started, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the vehicle departs from the charge area), then the toll due is calculated by multiplying the distance traveled (or the length of stay) by the distance unit cost and payment processing is performed. If charge processing is to be performed based on how much time a vehicle spends in an area in congested traffic, measuring of the length of time that passes with the vehicle speed below a set value (for example, 20 km/h) is performed (i.e. the cumulative total of the length of time spent intermittently at 20 km/h or less), and payment processing of a charge amount proportional to the measured value is performed when the vehicle leaves the charge area.

It should be noted that it is also possible where necessary for a series of charge areas with various charge categories to be set or for the charge categories to be changed either regularly or when necessary. In particular, when attempting to carefully fine tune the flow of traffic or collect tolls, it is possible to divide a charge area into a plurality of small area and give a different charge category to each one. The conventional providing of a data processing algorithm in a charge device for each charging system in which each time a single charge area is entered, charge categories (charging systems) for that area are determined, processing corresponding to that is commenced, and a toll is calculated and payment made at a timing corresponding to the charging category is problematic. However, if a charge device is provided with a processing algorithm which only performs a specific item from among various charging categories (for example, area entry, distance traveled in that area, travel time in that area, and time spent in congested traffic), then this device is unable to respond to future alterations to the charge system or charge area settings for other charge areas.

Therefore, the tenth invention whose aim is to provide a charge device having a high level of adaptability to the charge processing performed in various types of charging systems and which has easy data processing for performing charge processing is provided.

(27) The first aspect of the tenth invention is a charging device comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the card balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); area inside or outside detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting whether its own position is inside or outside a charge area; and charge processing means (2) charge processing means (2) for calculating the toll (Y) for transit through a charge area and updating credit information (balance) in the storage means (CRD) by that amount via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged for a charge area (j, k), wherein there is further provided unit price memory means (2) for holding charge unit prices (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) for each charge category (i.e. area entry, distance traveled in that area, travel time in that area, and time spent in congested traffic) of a plurality of charge areas (charge areas 1 to 4); and charge variable measuring means (2) for measuring values of each charge category in order to obtain actual values (i.e. the number of entries Z, the distance traveled D, the travel time T, and the time spent in congested traffic C) of each charge category in each charge area, and wherein the charge processing means (2) calculates the transit toll (Y) for a charge area using the sum of the products (Y=A₁×Z+A₂×D+A₃×T+A₄×C) of the charge unit prices (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) of the charge areas and the values (Z, D, T, C) measured in each charge area.

As a result, for example, as is shown in Table 12, it is possible to set all the charge unit prices (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) of all the charging categories of the various charging systems at all the charge area addresses (i.e. for the charge areas 1 to 4), and to set the charging characteristics (charging system) of each charge area by selectively setting the charge unit price (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) of each category.

For example, for the charge area No. 1 in Table 12, the pay per entry charge unit price A₁ is ¥70 per entry; the distance traveled charge unit price A₂ is ¥50 per kilometer; the travel time charge unit price A₃ is 0; and the congested travel time charge unit price A₄ is also 0. Therefore, charge area No. 1 has a system where charges are based on number of entries into the area and distance traveled within the area. Charge area 2 has a system where charges are based on number of entries into the area and congested travel time. Charge area 3 has a system where charges are based only on distance traveled within the area. Charge area 4 has a system where charges are based on number of entries into the area and travel time within the area. By changing the values of A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄, the charge system of an area is also changed. When a new charge area is being set up, each of the values A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄ can be set so that the intended charge system is achieved.

Whichever system is chosen, according to the present invention, the unit price memory means (2) holds charge unit prices (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) for each charge category of addresses of each charge area, and the charge variable measuring means (2) measures the actual values of each charge category (i.e. the number of entries Z, the distance traveled D, the travel time T, and the time spent in congested traffic C) in each charge area, and the charge processing means (2) calculates the transit toll (Y) for each charge area using the sum of the products (Y=A₁×Z+A₂×D+A₃×T+A₄×C) of the charge unit prices (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) of the charge areas and the values (Z, D, T, C) measured in each charge area. Each if the charge system is changed, because the transit toll calculation processing is the same, there is a high degree of adaptability in the charge processing of each type of charge processing system and the data processing for the charge processing does not have to be complicated. Because increasing the number of charge areas or alterations to the charge systems of the charge areas or alterations corresponding to adjustments to the charge systems of the charge areas only need to be made to the saved data of the unit price memory means (2) only, increasing or altering the charge areas is simple. For example, in a charge device, if charge tables such as those shown in Table 2, for example, are obtained via communication with a control station and then saved in memory, complicated tasks such as altering obtained hardware or reinstalling programs are unnecessary.

(28) The second aspect of the tenth invention is a charge device, wherein the charge unit prices (A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄) include zero, which indicates that there is no charge (Table 2), and the charge variable measuring means (2) measures at least the values of the charge categories in order to obtain actual values of charge unit prices that are not zero (276 to 281 of FIG. 8)
(29) The third aspect of the tenth invention is a charge device, wherein the charge unit prices include a per entry charge toll A₁ for each entry into a charge area, a distance charge toll A₂ for distance traveled inside a charge area, and a time charge toll A₃ for travel time inside a charge area; and the charge variable measuring means (2) measures the number of entries into an area Z, the distance traveled within an area D, and the amount of time spent in an area T; and the charge processing means (2) calculates the transit toll (Y) for each charge area by applying the charge unit prices A₁, A₂, A₃ of the charge areas for calculating transit tolls and the number of entries Z, the distance traveled D, and the travel time T measured by the charge variable measuring means (2) to a sum of products calculation calculated using the sum of the products of each charge unit price and each variable (Y=A₁×Z+A₂×D+A₃×T) . . . (1).
(30) The fourth aspect of the tenth invention is a charge device, wherein the charge unit prices include a per entry charge toll A₁ for each entry into a charge area, a distance charge toll A₂ for distance traveled inside a charge area, and a time charge toll A₄ for congested travel time inside a charge area; and the charge variable measuring means (2) measures the number of entries into an area Z, the distance traveled within an area D, and the amount of time in congested traffic spent in an area C; and the charge processing means (2) calculates the transit toll (Y) for each charge area by applying the charge unit prices A₁, A₂, A₄ of the charge areas for calculating transit tolls and the number of entries Z, the distance traveled D, and the congested travel time C measured by the charge variable measuring means (2) to a sum of products calculation calculated using the sum of the products of each charge unit price and each variable (Y=A₁×Z+A₂×D+A₄×C) . . . (2).
(31) The fifth aspect of the tenth invention is a charge device, wherein the charge unit prices include a per entry charge toll A₁ for each entry into a charge area, a distance charge toll A₂ for distance traveled inside a charge area, a time charge toll A₃ for travel time inside a charge area, and a time charge toll A₄ for congested travel time inside a charge area; and the charge variable measuring means (2) measures the number of entries into an area Z, the distance traveled within an area D, the amount of time spent in an area T, and the amount of time in congested traffic spent in an area C; and the charge processing means (2) calculates the transit toll (Y) for each charge area by applying the charge unit prices A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄ of the charge areas for calculating transit tolls and the number of entries Z, the distance traveled D, the travel time T, and the congested travel time C measured by the charge variable measuring means (2) to a sum of products calculation calculated using the sum of the products of each charge unit price and each variable (Y=A₁×Z+A₂×D+A₃×T+A₄×C) . . . (3).
(Eleventh Invention)

In a charge processing system in a vehicle that uses a prepaid card in a vehicle to update and store on a card the remaining balance when a charge amount is deducted from the balance on the card, sometimes the card balance is changed into a negative value (i.e. into an unpaid amount), namely, the card balance is not sufficient to enable payment to be made by the charge processing. In order to counter this, it is desirable if the user is notified of the card balance insufficiency, and that it be urged that the card be replaced. Moreover, it is desirable that, when the card is replaced, the balance thereof is updated to a value from which the previous insufficient amount has been deducted. Furthermore, it is preferable that, if the card is left as it is with the balance as a negative value, that a notification of a charging abnormality is made to the outside of the vehicle by a charging abnormality display and/or by wireless communication to a center station, thereby simplifying exposure of the negative value in order to enforce payment thereof.

Moreover, if the balance of the prepaid card is insufficient, then if a new card is used even though there is a balance remaining on the old card, then the balance on the old card is wasted. However, if the card is used with the balance thereof being too small, then the balance becomes a negative value while it is being used. For example, it is of course possible for a user to anticipate this by carrying a new card and replacing the old card with the new card when a notification is made that the balance of the old card is negative, however, as soon as the value becomes negative, warning of an illegality is given such as a charge abnormality display being made to the outside of the vehicle and/or a charge abnormality notification being given to the center station by wireless communication. Therefore, when the old card is replaced with the new card, warning of an illegality has already been given and the user is made to feel extremely uncomfortable.

Accordingly, when the balance changes into a negative value, a notification is given to that effect and then replacement of the card is awaited for a predetermined length of time. Naturally, it is possible for the violation warning to be held back for the wait time, and, because there may be cases in which the card cannot be rapidly replaced while the vehicle is moving, a reasonable charge abnormality warning is desirable.

Therefore, the eleventh invention is proposed which has as the first aim thereof the providing of sufficient time for the card replacement to be completed, and in addition, the aims of reliably performing charge collection, simplifying the exposing by a charge controller of vehicles that are unable to pay a charge, and simplifying the collection by a controller of unprocessed charges.

(32) The first aspect of the eleventh invention is a charge device, comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing (1) credit information (i.e. a balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information (CRD) in the storage means; charge processing means (2) for updating credit information in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged; notification means (2, 4B5, 10, SP) for urging that the storage means (CRD) be replaced when the updated value is a negative value; credit information processing means (2, 5) for updating, when there is a replacement, the credit information in the storage means after the replacement by the same amount as the negative value; abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality; and means (2, 4f2) for notifying the outside of the vehicle of an abnormality, when the storage means (CRD) has not been replaced and when at least one of: a notification urging a replacement has been repeated a set two times or more (2), a set time (Tw) has passed, and a set distance (Lk) has been reached has occurred.

According to this, if the credit information (balance) of the storage means (CRD) turns into a negative value, the notification means (2, 4B5, 10, SP) gives a notification urging that the storage means CRD be replaced. If the user (i.e. the driver) does not replace the storage means (CRD) at this time, then when the notification urging the replacement has been repeated a set number of times (2), abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality. Alternatively, if the set time (Tw) passes without the storage means (CRD) being replaced, the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality. Alternatively, if the set distance (Lk) is reached without the storage means (CRD) being replaced, the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) notifies the outside of the vehicle that there is an abnormality.

This abnormality notification means that there has been a charging illegality or a charging violation and a person with controlling authority can on the basis of this notification, for example, stop the vehicle and require that the charge processing be completed.

For example, in the embodiments described below, this abnormality notification is generated when, after the credit information (i.e. the balance thereof) has turned into a negative value, if there is no replacement after a replacement demand (involving repeating the notification that a replacement is required three times at predetermined time intervals—this is the first replacement demand), and thereafter, if there is still no replacement after a further replacement demand (the second replacement demand) that is made if the balance of the storage means when accessed in order to perform charge processing or to prepare for charge processing is still negative. Moreover, if the balance is still negative when the set time Tw has passed after the first replacement demand, as well as if the set distance Lk has been reached after the first replacement demand, then the abnormality notification is made to the outside of the vehicle. If the user replaces the card between the start time of the first replacement demand and the end time of the second replacement demand as well as within the set time Tw and inside the set distance Lk, then the abnormality notification is not made to the outside of the vehicle.

(33) The second aspect of the eleventh invention is a charging device, wherein the credit information processing means (2) registers the minus value in memory (abnormality history memory) when the storage means (CRD) has not been replaced in spite of the updated value turning into a negative value. When the balance of the storage means (CRD) becomes negative as a result of the charge processing and the payment thereof is not made, the demand for the payment (the negative value) is saved in memory. The demand for payment to be made is not deleted even if the storage means (CRD) is taken out.
(34) The third aspect of the eleventh invention is a charging device, wherein, when the storage means (CRD) is replaced, the credit information processing means (2) updates the credit information to information in which the negative value in the memory has been paid. As a result, the demand for payment (i.e. the negative value) relating to the storage means (CRD) is paid by the storage means (CRD) that has just been inserted enabling payment of the previous amount due to be achieved with certainty.
(35) The fourth aspect of the eleventh invention is a charging device, wherein, if the storage means (CRD) is not replaced in spite of the updated value being a negative value, the credit information processing means (2) registers the abnormality information in the abnormality history memory together with information concerning the point in time when the abnormality was generated. As a result, because information concerning the point in time (date and time) when the abnormality was generated is registered together with the charge avoidance in the abnormality history memory (2), it is possible to later pursue and confirm the charge avoidance.
(36) The fifth aspect of the eleventh invention is a charging device, wherein the abnormality notification means (2, 4f2) includes a display means (4f2) for displaying an charging abnormality in the vehicle towards the outside of the vehicle. A person with controlling authority can visually confirm vehicles with this abnormality display and stop the vehicle on the road and require that the charge processing be completed.
(37) The sixth aspect of the eleventh invention is a charging device, further comprising: abnormality information reading means (2) for outputting data of the abnormality history memory in accordance with a specific input; and abnormality data erasing means (2) for erasing data representing an abnormality in the abnormality history memory in response to an erasure instruction with the condition that the abnormality information reading means (2) has output data.

A charging controller (i.e. an employee of the charging system operating body or a member of the police forces with responsibility for the system) who has stopped a vehicle whose display means (2, W4f2, W4f3) is displaying an abnormality gives a specific input to the abnormality information reading means and is thus able to output data of the abnormality history memory. In the embodiments described below, this output data is displayed on the display in a vehicle and is also printed out on the printer of a data collector held by the charge controller. It is also registered on the storage means inside the data collector.

The charge controller displays this printout and obtains an agreement on the contents of the printed data and is thus able to seek payment for the unpaid amount. When the unpaid amount is received and the driver of the vehicle purchases a new storage means (CRD) with a sufficient balance, the charge controller gives an erasure instruction (i.e. an instruction to clear) to the abnormality data erasing means (2). Because the data is output first, the abnormality data erasing means (2) erases data representing an abnormality in the abnormality history memory (2) in accordance with the erasure instruction. As a result, the illegality information for which payment has been received is erased from the memory.

Because the data erasure of the abnormality history memory (2) is performed on the preconditions that the erasure instruction (instruction to clear) is input and data is output in response to a specific input, if only the charge controller is able to make the specific input, then the reliability of the protection of the abnormality (illegality) information in the abnormality history memory (2) is high.

(Twelfth to Sixteenth Inventions)

In a charge processing system in a vehicle that uses a prepaid card in a vehicle to update and store on a card the remaining balance when a charge amount is deducted from the balance on the card, devices (i.e. hardware) for organizing information necessary for charge processing and programs (i.e. software) are necessary. It is possible that, due to breakdowns in these or else due to imperfect operation caused by a user tinkering with the hardware or software so as to avoid paying a charge, the charge processing might not be completed in the vehicle. Measures against this happening are therefore desirable.

For example, in order to ascertain the ground position of a vehicle, a GPS position finder is mounted in the vehicle and, based on the ground position of the vehicle, if charge processing to calculate the amount of the charge and update the card balance to a value from which that charge amount has been deducted is performed at the point when the vehicle enters a charge area or when a vehicle departs from a charge area or when a vehicle is in a charge area corresponding to each time the vehicle makes one transit through the area or corresponding to the distance traveled by the vehicle within the area or corresponding to the length of time spent by the vehicle in the area, then, for example, if the GPS antenna is intentionally shielded so that it is unable to receive radio signals from a GPS satellite, then the charge processing is not performed because it is not recognized that the vehicle has entered into the charge area.

Further, if a card is not loaded in the card reader, or if the card reader is broken, reading and writing access to the card is not possible. Therefore, charge processing cannot be carried out. If an altered or forged card is used, the toll payment to the legitimate charger is not carried out. If the balance of the card stays in the negative without the payment thereof being performed, then the toll payment is also not carried out.

If, instead of the GPS position finder, or as an aid to the GPS position finder, an angular velocity sensor and a movement distance calculating device are provided, and the ground position is ascertained by gyroscopic navigation in which the ground position information is updated by ascertaining the direction in which the vehicle is traveling by calculating the amount of change in the travel direction of the vehicle from the angular velocity detected by the angular velocity sensor, and at the same time, calculating the distance traveled by counting speed pulses one of which is generated each time a wheel of the vehicle rotates a predetermined minute angle or calculating the distance traveled by calculating the vehicle speed based on the speed pulses and then integrating the vehicle speed, then if either the vehicle speed pulse signal generator or a signal line thereof is broken, the vehicle ground position becomes unclear and the charge processing cannot be performed.

Moreover, if the charge processing is based on the distance traveled within a charge area, then if the distance traveled by the vehicle is found from the integral value of the vehicle speed pulses or the integral value of the vehicle speed calculated on the basis of the vehicle speed pulses, if the vehicle speed pulses are cut off before they reach the counting device, then the charge processing cannot be carried out.

For these reasons the twelfth to sixteenth inventions are provided with the aims of automatically supervising the inability of a charging device mounted in a vehicle to perform charge processing, simplifying the exposing by a charge controller of vehicles that are unable to perform charge processing, and the simplifying of the collection by a controller of unpaid tolls.

(39) The twelfth invention is a charge device, comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the card balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); vehicle entry detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting an entry of a vehicle into a charge area; charge processing means (2) for updating credit information in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged in response to a transit through the charge area; means for detecting at least one abnormality in each of the above means that causes a problem in the charge processing of the charge processing means (2); abnormality information registering means (2) for registering in abnormality history memory (2) an abnormality detected by the abnormality detecting means together with information (i.e. the date and time) on the point in time when it was generated; and display means (2, W4f2, W4f3) for displaying to the outside of a vehicle the fact that data indicating an abnormality is present in the abnormality history memory.

According to this invention, an abnormality that causes a problem in the charge processing is registered in the abnormality history memory together with information (i.e. the date and time) on the point in time when it was generated, and the abnormality in the charge processing is displayed to the outside of the vehicle by the display means (2, W42, W4f3). The charge controller is able to distinguish vehicles on the road having a charging abnormality by the presence or otherwise of this display enabling the controller to easily expose vehicles unable to pay the charge. The charge controller can then stop vehicles with this display and require payment of the charge as well as requiring that measures to enable normal charge processing to be carried out be performed.

(39) The thirteenth invention is a charge device, comprising: GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22) for detecting a ground position of a vehicle; storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the card balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); vehicle entry detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting an entry of a vehicle into a charge area based on a ground position detected by the GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22); charge processing means (2) for updating credit information in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged in response to a transit through the charge area; means (2) for detecting at least one abnormality in each of the above means that causes a problem in the charge processing of the charge processing means (2); and abnormality information registering means (2) for registering in abnormality history memory (2) data indicating an abnormality together with information (i.e. the date and time) on the point in time when it was generated when a distance traveled by a vehicle while the GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22) is continuously unable to detect a ground position reaches a set value (speed×time TVa) or more.

For example, if the GPS antenna (ANTg) is shielded, if the distance the vehicle travels with the antenna in that state reaches a set value (speed×time Tva), a GPS abnormality is registered in the abnormality history memory (2). Here, the term "antenna shielding" means, for example, a state in which the reception level from all GPS satellites able to be normally received by a GPS receiver at a location open to the sky is 0 (i.e. absolutely no reception is possible). If this continuously shielded state continues for a set distance or more after the shielding first started, then it is considered that the GPS position finding has been intentionally disabled and a GPS abnormality is registered in the abnormality history memory.

The value set for the distance traveled is determined by the travel distance over which the GPS radio waves are continuously cut off due to the maximum length and the like of natural or man made obstacles such as tunnels, mountains, blocks of buildings and the like existing in that region. In the embodiments described below, the set value is determined as a predetermined time value TVa obtained by dividing a set travel distance value (e.g. 50 m) by the traveling speed of the vehicle which is obtained by a speed calculation using the vehicle speed pulses, and a GPS abnormality is registered in the abnormality history memory (2) when the GPS measurement is continuously impossible for TVa or longer. When the vehicle is stopped, the measuring of how much time is passing also stops.

(40) The fourteenth invention is a charge device, comprising: storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the card balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); vehicle entry detecting means (20 to 26; 2) for detecting an entry of a vehicle into a charge area; charge processing means (2) for updating in accordance with a toll charged credit information in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in response to a transit through the charge area; means (2) for detecting an abnormality in the above storage means (CRD) or the reading and writing means (5) that causes a problem in the charge processing of the charge processing means (2); and means (2) for generating a warning (warning notification 1) when the abnormality detecting means (2) detects an abnormality either until the abnormality disappears or until the power that enables the vehicle to run is turned off (i.e. until IGsw is off).

For example, when the reading or writing of data in the storage means (CRD) is not possible because no storage means (CRD) has been loaded in the reading and writing means (5) or because the reading and writing means (5) is broken, and at the same time, the credit information (i.e. the balance) is a negative value (i.e. insufficient for payment), then the warning generating means (2) generates a warning (warning notification 1). Because this warning is continued until the storage means (CRD) can be read and written to correctly and the charge processing can be carried out (i.e. the balance is positive), or until the car is parked, the driver cannot simply persevere and put up with the noise. Therefore, there is a high likelihood that the driver will take action to make the correct charge processing (with a positive balance) using the correct storage means (CRD) possible. Namely, the warning notification is highly effective in urging correct charge processing.

(41) The above charge device (3) further provided with abnormality information registering means (2) for registering in the abnormality history memory an abnormality detected by the abnormality detecting means together with information on the point in time (i.e. the date and time) when it was generated.

According to this aspect, because abnormalities relating to the storage means (CRD) problems in the charge processing are registered in the abnormality history memory (2) together with information on the point in time (i.e. the date and time) when they were generated, it is thereafter possible to confirm the abnormality history and pursue unpaid tolls.

(42) The fifteenth invention is a charge device, comprising: GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22) for detecting a ground position of a vehicle; storage means (CRD) for storing credit information (i.e. the card balance); reading and writing means (5) for reading credit information from the storage means (CRD) and for writing credit information in the storage means (CRD); vehicle entry detecting means (2) for detecting an entry of a vehicle into a charge area based on a ground position detected by the GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22); charge processing means (2) for updating credit information in the storage means (CRD) via the reading and writing means (5) in accordance with a toll charged in response to a transit through the charge area; and abnormality information registering means (2) for registering in abnormality history memory (2) data indicating an abnormality together with information (i.e. the date and time) on the point in time when it was generated when the frequency of the generation of vehicle speed pulses is abnormally lower than the frequency of generation corresponding to the speed of the vehicle as calculated by the GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22).

When the charging is based on distance, the vehicle speed pulses are used for calculating the distance traveled. Moreover, they are also used calculating distance and direction of travel in combination with direction detection by gyro when position finding by GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22) is not possible, such as in a tunnel or the like. When a user is illegally attempting to reconstruct or convert a vehicle speed pulse generator or the signal lines connected thereto so that the signal pulses disappear or so that the frequency at which they are generated is reduced, the distance charge amount is 0 or only a very miniscule amount. As a countermeasure to this, it was observed that, if both the GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to 22) and the vehicle speed pulses are normal, then the vehicle traveling speed as calculated by the GPS position finding means (ANTg, 20 to