High-speed toll station normalized lane charging system and charging method

Abstract

The invention provides a normalized lane charging system and charging method for a highway toll station, and relates to the technical field of intelligent traffic. According to the method, a system lane front-end function module is arranged at the front end of a lane of a toll station and used for directly interacting with vehicles in the lane, collecting vehicle information and executing a control instruction; the edge node processing module is arranged at an edge node of a toll station level, and is used for processing transaction data and picture information from the lane front-end function module based on a virtualization technology, and carrying out collaborative management on multiple pieces of lane service data under the condition that the edge node processing module is matched with the cloud service management module; and the cloud service management module is deployed at a cloud end and is used for carrying out unified management on the charging services of the plurality of toll stations. The system can decouple business processing and equipment control by adopting a cloud-side-end system architecture, and improves the lane passing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of intelligent transportation technology, specifically to a normalized lane toll collection system and toll collection method for highway toll stations. Background Technology

[0002] The evolution of traditional highway toll collection systems reflects the industry's continuous pursuit of efficiency and consolidation. Early lane-level deployment dispersed the complete toll collection system and transaction equipment across each independent lane. While simple in structure, this resulted in significant duplication of hardware investment, complex and cumbersome maintenance of each lane's system, and the creation of isolated information silos, hindering unified management and data sharing. Subsequent station-level deployment attempted initial integration, centralizing the toll collection system at the toll station level, reducing redundant construction to some extent. However, transaction equipment remained scattered across lanes, failing to achieve true centralized equipment management and limiting overall system efficiency improvements.

[0003] In recent years, quasi-free-flow tolling models have emerged, such as those that optimize traffic flow by moving ETC toll collection facilities to the toll station entrance ramps to enable pre-transaction functionality. However, this model still has fundamental limitations. Its business functions are highly coupled with hardware equipment, resulting in poor system scalability, low efficiency in handling emergencies, and a lack of effective road network-level coordination mechanisms between toll stations. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, this application provides a normalized lane toll collection system and toll collection method for highway toll stations. By adopting a "cloud-edge-device" system architecture, business processing and equipment control can be decoupled, and lane traffic efficiency can be improved.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a standardized lane toll collection system for highway toll stations, comprising: The lane front-end function module is set at the front of the lane of the toll station and is used to directly interact with vehicles in the lane, collect vehicle information and execute control commands. An edge node processing module is set at the edge node of the toll station level. It is used to process the vehicle information from the lane front-end function module based on virtualization technology, and to perform collaborative management of business data of multiple lanes in cooperation with the cloud business management module. The cloud service management module, deployed in the cloud, is used for unified management of toll collection services at multiple toll stations.

[0006] In some embodiments, the edge node processing module is specifically used for: In the entrance scenario, if a vehicle enters the lane, the vehicle information is received, a pre-transaction operation is performed, the validity of the vehicle information is verified and the entrance information is written. If the transaction is successful, a release command is sent to the lane front-end function module to release the vehicle, and the transaction data is uploaded to the cloud business management module. In the exit scenario, if a vehicle leaves the lane, the system receives the vehicle information, initiates a billing request to the cloud business management module based on the vehicle information, and receives the billing data returned by the cloud business management module in order to coordinate the transaction sub-module of the lane front-end function module to complete the payment operation. In special situations, the current special event is assigned to the remote special event processing queue of the cloud business management module, and the on-site video stream and transaction data of the special event are uploaded. The decision returned by the cloud business management module is received and executed on the lane equipment in the lane front-end function module.

[0007] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module includes a barrier gate module, which is located at the lane entrance of the toll station and is used to control the opening and closing state of the barrier gate.

[0008] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module further includes a pre-transaction antenna module, which is installed at the lane entrance of the toll station and is used to sense the vehicle's on-board unit or composite toll card to achieve information pre-reading and transaction pre-processing.

[0009] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module further includes a vehicle sensing module and a weighing module, both of which are installed on the lane of the toll station. The vehicle sensing module is used to collect vehicle information, and the weighing module is used to collect vehicle weighing information.

[0010] In some embodiments, the lane front-end function module further includes an information prompt module and a canopy prompt module, which are disposed above the lane position of the toll station. The information prompt module is used to prompt transaction information and guidance information, and the canopy prompt module is used to indicate the open / closed status of the lane.

[0011] In some embodiments, the lane front-end function module further includes a transaction module, which is set in the lane transaction area of ​​the toll station for executing the transaction process of MTC vehicles and providing self-service processing of ETC special cases.

[0012] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module further includes a barrier release module, which is set in the lane release area of ​​the toll station and is used to control vehicle release, integrate and display toll information, passage instruction information and alarm prompt information, and realize license plate capture.

[0013] In some embodiments, the lane front end functional module further includes an island tail antenna module, which is disposed at the end of the lane of the toll station and is used to provide a backup transaction opportunity in the event of an ETC vehicle transaction failure.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a toll collection method based on a normalized lane toll collection system at highway toll stations, including: The lane front-end function module interacts directly with vehicles in the lane, collects vehicle information, and executes specific control commands to guide vehicles and trigger transactions. The edge node processing module processes transaction data and image information from the lane front-end function module based on virtualization technology, and works with the cloud business management module to manage business data for multiple lanes. The cloud business management module manages toll collection services for multiple toll stations in a unified manner.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this application are: by adopting a "cloud-edge-device" system architecture, the highly coupled business logic of the traditional toll collection system is decoupled and reconstructed. The transaction equipment at the port is set up in the lane, but all toll collection business is on the cloud. This can realize the intensive management of servers within the area and the transformation of toll collection business from decentralized independent operation to intensive and standardized management in the cloud. Through resource virtualization and business online, the construction and operation complexity of a single toll station is reduced, and the lane traffic efficiency and overall system resilience are improved. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a normalized lane toll collection system for highway toll stations provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 A standardized lane layout diagram provided for embodiments of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a business management architecture diagram of a normalized lane toll collection system for highway toll stations provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the business process provided for an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a data flow diagram of the toll collection method based on the normalized lane toll collection system of highway toll stations provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0021] Figure labels: 10-Standardized lane toll collection system for highway toll stations; 11-Lane front-end functional module; 12-Edge node processing module; 13-Cloud business management module. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to experimental examples and specific embodiments. However, this should not be construed as limiting the scope of the subject matter of the present application to the following embodiments. All technologies implemented based on the content of the present application fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0023] Unless otherwise specified, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "center," "inner," "outer," and "side" used in the description of specific embodiments of this application to indicate orientation or positional relationships are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product / equipment / device is usually placed during use. These terms are merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of the solution in this application or simplifying the description in specific embodiments, so as to enable those skilled in the art to quickly understand the solution, and do not indicate or imply that a particular device / component / element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific positional relationship. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0024] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a standardized lane toll collection system for highway toll stations provided in an embodiment of this application. The standardized lane toll collection system 10 for highway toll stations may include: Lane front-end function module 11, which is set at the front of the lane of the toll station, is used to directly interact with vehicles in the lane, collect vehicle information and execute control commands. Edge node processing module 12 is set at the edge node of the toll station level. It is used to process vehicle information from the lane front-end function module 11 based on virtualization technology, and to perform collaborative management of business data of multiple lanes in cooperation with the cloud business management module. The cloud business management module 13 is deployed in the cloud and is used to uniformly manage the toll collection business of multiple toll stations.

[0026] In this embodiment, a highway toll station refers to a toll station set up on a highway. The lane front-end functional module 11 is a collective term for a series of hardware devices and their integrated control units physically deployed on each lane of the toll station, that is, the infrastructure layer that directly faces passing vehicles and is responsible for information collection and command execution. Vehicle information may include transaction data and image information, as well as information such as license plate, vehicle color, vehicle type, and whether it is damaged.

[0027] The edge node processing module 12 is a local computing and processing center deployed at the toll station level, located between the cloud and the front end of the lane. It is a service platform that uses virtualization technology to provide unified computing resources for multiple lanes of the toll station. When the lane front end function module 11 collects vehicle transaction data, the edge node processing module 12, upon receiving this data, acts as the main body to perform real-time analysis, pre-transaction calculation, and image recognition processing on the data, thereby obtaining pre-transaction results or special situation judgments, and sending instructions to the front end equipment to control vehicle passage.

[0028] The cloud business management module 13 is a software platform centrally deployed in a remote cloud computing center. It is the core system for unified operation and management of toll collection services at toll stations in multiple areas within the region. When cross-station business collaboration or centralized monitoring is required, the cloud business management module 13 acts as the main body. After receiving the operation data uploaded by each edge node, it performs operations such as data aggregation and analysis, special task assignment, and unified distribution of system parameters, thereby realizing centralized control and optimized scheduling of road network-level toll collection services.

[0029] The edge node processing module 12's collaborative management of multi-lane business data refers to the process of integrating and coordinating the business data of multiple lanes. When multiple vehicles enter different lanes simultaneously at a toll station, the edge node processing module 12, as the main agent, dynamically allocates computing resources and coordinates the business logic between lanes after acquiring real-time data from each lane. Meanwhile, the cloud business management module 13's unified management of toll collection operations at multiple toll stations refers to the centralized control of distributed toll collection nodes. When adjustments to the toll collection strategy for a given area are needed, it performs operations to synchronously update billing rules, blacklists, and other parameters to all subordinate edge nodes, resulting in a unified business standard across all toll stations.

[0030] In some embodiments, the application scenarios of the normalized lane toll collection system 10 at highway toll stations mainly include entrance scenarios, exit scenarios, and special situation scenarios. The edge node processing module 12 can specifically be used for: In the entrance scenario, if a vehicle enters the lane, the vehicle information is received, a pre-transaction operation is performed, the validity of the vehicle information is verified and the entrance information is written. If the transaction is successful, a release command is sent to the lane front-end function module 11 to release the vehicle, and the transaction data is uploaded to the cloud business management module 13.

[0031] When a vehicle enters the lane, physical sensors detect its presence, triggering other identification devices (license plate recognition cameras, pre-transaction antennas, etc.) to collect vehicle information. The intelligent control unit deployed locally in the lane integrates diverse vehicle information and packages it for upload to the edge node processing module 12 at the toll station level. The edge node processing module 12 performs a pre-transaction operation based on the received data, quickly verifying the validity of the vehicle information and writing the entry information. If the pre-transaction is successful, the edge node processing module 12 issues a release command to the intelligent control unit. Simultaneously, as a crucial link in the data loop, the edge node processing module 12 synchronously uploads the transaction data to the cloud business center for archiving.

[0032] In the exit scenario, if a vehicle leaves the lane, the vehicle information is received, and a billing request is initiated to the cloud business management module 13 based on the vehicle information. The billing data returned by the cloud business management module 13 is also received to coordinate the transaction sub-module of the lane front-end function module 11 to complete the payment operation.

[0033] Similar to the entrance scenario, when a vehicle exits the lane, vehicle information is identified again. The toll collection request for the exit process needs to cross the toll station boundary to obtain the vehicle's complete passage record throughout the road network. Therefore, after receiving vehicle information, the edge node processing module 12 initiates a toll collection request to the cloud business management module on behalf of the vehicle. The cloud business management module 13 retrieves the vehicle's passage path, completes the toll collection, and returns the result to the edge node. The edge node processing module 12 coordinates with the transaction submodule at the lane's front end to complete the payment operation. After payment confirmation, the final release instruction is still issued by the edge node processing module 12.

[0034] In special situations, the current special event is assigned to the remote special event processing queue of the cloud business management module 13, and the on-site video stream and transaction data of the special event are uploaded. The decision returned by the cloud business management module 13 is received and executed on the lane equipment in the lane front-end function module 11.

[0035] Special incident scenarios refer to situations where events such as no card, card malfunction, or insufficient balance are detected. The edge node processing module 12 first intelligently classifies and marks these special incidents, then assigns them to the remote special incident processing queue in the cloud business management module 13. It also stably uploads the on-site video stream and detailed transaction data of the special incidents to the cloud, providing remote processing experts with a comprehensive on-site perspective. Experts at the cloud-based special incident processing center can interact with drivers in real time via a high-definition video interface, remotely diagnosing and resolving problems without geographical limitations. The decisions made by the experts are sent back to the edge nodes through the cloud system, and the edge nodes ultimately execute control commands to the specific lane equipment and update the transaction status.

[0036] Please Figure 1 Based on the above, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a standardized lane layout diagram provided for an embodiment of this application. The location of the lane front-end functional module 11 can be as shown in the figure. The lane front-end functional module 11 includes a barrier gate module, which is located at the lane entrance of the toll station and is used to control the opening and closing state of the barrier gate.

[0037] The barrier gate module is electrically driven, and its opening and closing can be directly controlled by electronic commands from the lane intelligent control unit. After the edge node processing module 12 completes the vehicle's pre-transaction or payment verification, it sends a signal to the intelligent control unit, which then drives the barrier gate module to raise the barrier, allowing the vehicle to pass. In other embodiments, the barrier gate module integrates a fog light warning function, synchronizing its opening and closing status with the canopy signal lights. In inclement weather (such as rain, fog, or snow) with low visibility, the integrated fog lights emit a strong penetrating beam to warn following vehicles of the lane conditions ahead. Additionally, when the canopy signal lights indicate the lane is open, the barrier gate is raised, and its associated indicator light is green; conversely, when the lane is closed or a special situation requires vehicle interception, the canopy signal lights turn red, the barrier gate lowers, and the red warning light or flashing fog lights are activated.

[0038] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module 11 further includes a pre-transaction antenna module, which is set at the lane entrance of the toll station and is used to sense the vehicle's on-board unit or composite toll card to realize information pre-reading and transaction pre-processing.

[0039] The pre-transaction antenna module actively senses the electronic tag of the entering vehicle, namely the On-Board Unit (OBU) or Compound Pass Card (CPC), and completes the pre-reading of information and pre-processing of the transaction. In addition to being conventionally positioned directly above the lane entrance, the pre-transaction antenna module can also be deployed at the entrance ramp location, depending on the actual terrain of the toll station, traffic flow patterns, and upgrade requirements. This allows for vehicle identification and transaction attempts to be completed before the vehicle merges into the main traffic flow of the toll plaza. After reading the OBU or CPC data, the pre-transaction antenna module sends the data to the edge node processing module 12 at the toll station level. The edge node processing module 12 performs pre-transaction logic such as vehicle information validity verification and toll information query. If the transaction is successful, the edge node sends a "pre-transaction successful" signal to the lane intelligent control unit. This signal is compared and confirmed with subsequent vehicle perception information, ultimately coordinating with the control unit to raise the barrier.

[0040] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module 11 further includes a vehicle sensing module and a weighing module. Both the vehicle sensing module and the weighing module are installed on the lane of the toll station. The vehicle sensing module is used to collect vehicle information, and the weighing module is used to collect vehicle weighing information.

[0041] The vehicle perception module collects unique vehicle identifiers and characteristic information, including capturing vehicle images through high-definition cameras and using image recognition algorithms to automatically extract license plate numbers, accurately identify vehicle types (such as buses and trucks), and recognize vehicle categories (such as military vehicles, emergency vehicles, and other special types). For example, when a vehicle enters a lane, the license plate number captured by the perception module is immediately compared with the OBU information read by the pre-transaction antenna to ensure vehicle-card consistency, thus providing a verification basis for subsequent processes.

[0042] The weighing module, which works in conjunction with the vehicle, can be offered as an optional configuration, specifically designed for needs such as freight vehicle management. The weighing module is typically embedded in the lane surface, collecting weighing information such as axle load and total weight of the vehicle. This information is not only used to determine whether a vehicle is overloaded or oversized, but also serves as a key parameter for calculating tolls in some weight-based tolling scenarios.

[0043] The raw data collected by the vehicle perception module and the weighing module is initially integrated by the lane intelligent control unit and then uploaded to the edge node processing module 12 in real time. The edge node processing module 12 fuses the vehicle's identity information with the weight data to generate a complete vehicle passage file.

[0044] In some embodiments, the lane front-end function module 11 further includes an information prompt module and a canopy prompt module, which are disposed above the lane position of the toll station. The information prompt module is used to prompt transaction information and guidance information, and the canopy prompt module is used to indicate the open / closed status of the lane.

[0045] The information prompt module provides drivers with specific, real-time transaction status and operational guidance. When a vehicle is processing a transaction within the lane, whether it's a successful automatic ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) deduction or a special situation requiring manual intervention, the module clearly displays key information such as "Transaction successful, please proceed," "Please present your toll card," or specific toll information on a high-brightness screen. The guidance information issued by the information prompt module is used to dynamically manage traffic flow, such as prompting vehicles to "move to the mixed lane" during peak hours or issuing temporary traffic condition notifications.

[0046] The canopy indicator module primarily displays the lane's open / closed status macroscopically, using a red "×" to indicate closed and a green "↓" to indicate open, as well as the lane's functional attributes, such as "ETC Dedicated," "Manual Toll Collection," or "Passenger Vehicle Lane." Before entering the toll station, drivers can determine which lane to choose based on the signals on the canopy from a distance.

[0047] The collaborative mechanism between the information prompt module and the canopy prompt module is reflected in the seamless connection of information flow and the high degree of synchronization of status. For example, when the cloud business management platform or edge node decides to close a lane, the status indicator in the canopy prompt module changes to a red "×". At the same time, the information prompt module at the entrance of that lane will simultaneously display guidance information such as "Lane closed, please detour". For lanes that are open, when a vehicle enters, the canopy prompt module provides a stable indication, while the information prompt module dynamically updates its content according to the transaction progress, from "Please wait" to specific transaction information, forming a complete guidance loop.

[0048] In some embodiments, the lane front-end function module 11 further includes a transaction module, which is set in the lane transaction area of ​​the toll station and is used to execute the transaction process of MTC (Multi-Terrain Capability) vehicles and provide self-service processing of ETC special cases.

[0049] For MTC vehicles, drivers can obtain a toll card through the transaction module at the entrance lane and pay the toll at the exit lane through its built-in card reader, QR code payment, or cash payment interface.

[0050] When ETC vehicles encounter special circumstances such as OBU failure, insufficient card balance, or lost entry information during passage, the transaction module can transform into a self-service emergency handling platform. It can guide drivers to use integrated touchscreens, card readers, QR code scanners, and other devices to self-service complete operations such as information re-entry, toll inquiries, or online payments.

[0051] When an emergency occurs, the transaction module acts as a data acquisition terminal, uploading the details of the emergency to the edge node processing module 12 in real time. After preliminary analysis, if the edge node processing module 12 determines that the emergency is complex, it will activate the remote emergency handling center in the cloud business management module 13. At this time, the audio and video communication equipment integrated on the transaction module will be activated, allowing remote experts to establish contact with the on-site driver, understand the situation through a video interface, and provide guidance. The expert's decision-making instructions will be sent from the cloud business management module 13 to the edge node processing module 12, and then transmitted to the transaction module to control its displayed content or change the operation process.

[0052] In some embodiments, the lane front-end functional module 11 further includes a barrier release module, which is set in the lane release area of ​​the toll station and is used to control vehicle release, integrate and display toll information, passage instruction information and alarm prompt information, and realize license plate capture.

[0053] The barrier gate release module receives instructions from the edge node processing module 12 or the lane intelligent control unit to control the raising and lowering of the barrier. The barrier gate release module integrates a toll display, clearly showing the driver the specific cost of the passage before release. Simultaneously, the barrier gate release module's passage indicator lights (such as green arrows or red crosses) provide drivers with intuitive passage instructions, while audible and visual alarms immediately warn of any special circumstances such as toll evasion or abnormal transactions.

[0054] In other embodiments, the barrier gate release module also integrates license plate recognition and capture functionality. A final license plate image capture and recognition is performed when the vehicle approaches the barrier. The license plate image is then compared with the license plate information identified at the entrance or pre-transaction stage to verify vehicle-card consistency.

[0055] In the entire workflow of the unified lane toll collection system 10 at highway toll stations, the barrier release module is the final implementation link between cloud-based decision-making and edge computing. For example, at the exit lane, the barrier release module will only receive the barrier-raising instruction after the cloud business management module 13 completes the toll calculation and the edge node confirms successful payment. Conversely, if the system detects any anomalies, such as unresolved special situations, failed license plate comparison, or the existence of a blacklist record, the module will maintain the barrier in a closed state and activate an alarm prompt, while simultaneously feeding the abnormal signal back to the system for further processing.

[0056] In some embodiments, the lane front end function module 11 further includes an island tail antenna module, which is disposed at the end of the lane of the toll station and is used to provide a backup transaction opportunity in the event of an ETC vehicle transaction failure.

[0057] When a vehicle passes the core transaction area in front of the pre-transaction antenna module or the barrier, the transaction may fail due to reasons such as slow OBU response, momentary signal interference, or excessive vehicle speed. In this case, the island tail antenna module can attempt to read and transact the vehicle a second time. If this redundant transaction is successful, the barrier release module can be notified to raise the barrier and allow the vehicle to pass.

[0058] The island tail antenna module is triggered by real-time tracking of vehicle traffic status via the edge node processing module 12. When it detects a car identified as an ETC vehicle passing through the main transaction area without completing a valid transaction, the island tail antenna module is activated and enters standby mode. Once a vehicle enters its recognition range, the module initiates a transaction attempt. Simultaneously, the island tail antenna module collaborates with the vehicle perception module to ensure that the remedial transaction accurately corresponds to the target vehicle and binds the transaction result to the previously collected license plate information.

[0059] In other embodiments, if a redundant transaction attempt fails again, it is marked as a specific incident and uploaded in real time to the edge node and cloud service management module 13, along with the vehicle's location information indicating it has reached the end of the lane. Based on the clear state that "the vehicle is at the end of the lane and the transaction has completely failed," experts can decide whether to attempt another transaction via remote command or guide the vehicle to a designated area for processing.

[0060] Further, please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a business management architecture diagram of a normalized lane toll collection system for highway toll stations provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3This diagram illustrates the hierarchical structure and data flow logic of the unified lane toll collection system 10 at highway toll stations at the business management level. The entire architecture is divided into three core layers from top to bottom: area, single station, and lane. The area system, located at the top, represents the core business management capabilities deployed in the cloud. It includes a "Comprehensive Business Management System" and a "Area Cloud Seat." The Comprehensive Business Management System is responsible for aggregating, processing, and analyzing business data from all toll stations within its jurisdiction, enabling unified strategy formulation, operational monitoring, financial settlement, and decision support. The Area Cloud Seat is a centralized remote expert team. Authorized through this system, the remote expert team can overcome the limitations of a single toll station and handle complex special situation work orders from different stations, maximizing the sharing and efficient utilization of expert resources at the area level. The middle layer, the single station system, is mainly represented by green and yellow, corresponding to the edge node processing modules 12 deployed at each specific toll station. The diagram shows that each single station has its own "transaction processing" resource pool and "single station cloud seat." This layer serves as the hub connecting the cloud and the lanes, undertaking the crucial task of real-time processing of the station's business. The transaction processing resource pool is responsible for processing transaction data and image information uploaded from all lanes within the station, performing local billing, verification, and storage. The single-station cloud agent focuses more on real-time monitoring and initial handling of special situations within the station. The diagram clearly shows that "audio-visual and authorization control" commands from the cloud-based regional system can be sent to the single station. This means that when the regional cloud agent needs to intervene in a lane's special situation, its commands are forwarded and executed through the single-station layer, demonstrating the flexibility of hierarchical management.

[0061] The middle layer of the single-station system corresponds to the edge node processing module 12 deployed at each specific toll station. Each single station has its own "transaction processing" resource pool and "single-station cloud agent". This layer is the hub connecting the cloud and the lanes, undertaking the important task of real-time processing of the station's business. The transaction processing resource pool is responsible for processing transaction data and image information uploaded by all lanes at this station, performing local billing, verification, and storage. The single-station cloud agent focuses more on real-time monitoring and initial handling of special situations within the station. "Audio, video, and authorization control" commands from the cloud-based regional system can be sent to the single station. This means that when the regional cloud agent needs to intervene in a special situation of a lane, its commands are forwarded and executed through the single-station layer, demonstrating the flexibility of hierarchical management.

[0062] The bottom layer is the lane layer, representing the intelligent control unit located at the front of each lane. This layer is the final execution point for all business logic and the source of data collection. As the local controller for all hardware devices in the lane (such as barriers, antennas, cameras, etc.), the intelligent control unit is responsible for collecting vehicle information, executing release commands, and maintaining real-time communication with the upper-level single-station system, uploading raw data and receiving control commands. The arrows between the layers in the diagram are key to understanding system operation. Downward arrows (from the area to the single-station and then to the lane) represent the flow of control commands, such as parameter issuance and remote control commands. Upward arrows represent data aggregation; raw data collected from the lanes undergoes edge processing at the single-station layer, and finally, key information is uploaded to the area cloud for archiving and analysis.

[0063] Furthermore, under normal circumstances and in routine processes, the regional cloud-based agent system serves as the primary force, fully leveraging the advantages of cloud computing to achieve flexible cross-station scheduling of expert resources and unified application of business rules. When the regional cloud-based agent system and its supporting systems fail, the single-station agent system can seamlessly take over, assuming responsibility for handling all lane toll collection operations and special situations at that station. This "master-slave switchover" capability ensures that a single toll station can continue operating independently and normally even when disconnected from the cloud, improving the business continuity and reliability of the entire toll collection system.

[0064] As described above, the unified lane toll collection system 10 based on highway toll stations eliminates the need for industrial control computers in ETC lanes. All business operations are fully cloud-based and processed at edge nodes. Self-service payment, self-service card issuance, mixed lane interfaces, parameter queries, and billing functions are separated. These functions are cloud-enabled. Considering disaster recovery, toll system stability during the transition period, and network stability, redundant functional services are deployed locally in each lane to ensure system stability, allowing for rapid switching when necessary and enabling offline toll collection. The standardized lane toll collection system at highway toll stations enables standardized equipment access. Traditional serial and parallel ports are uniformly transformed into standardized TCP / IP connections, ensuring standardized input and output and facilitating flexible peripheral configuration. Online business execution and cloud, edge, and terminal data sharing are implemented. Billing and list parameter queries are performed in the cloud, eliminating the need for multi-node parameter updates. Transaction logs are generated directly in the cloud, achieving efficient processing. Peripherals such as cameras, barriers, and toll displays are integrated into a single device, streamlining installation and saving space on toll islands. A data sharing network is established at the station level, replacing the traditional process of data entry into a database followed by verification by other systems. Equipment status and transaction data are rapidly shared to the operation monitoring system, emergency guidance LED screens, or other lanes through data broadcasting and message queues, resolving issues such as interference from adjacent lanes and duplicate transactions.

[0065] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects of the toll collection system based on normalized lanes at highway toll stations provided in this application may include: 1. **Transformation of Toll Management Model:** Breaking down the physical boundaries of toll station management units, enabling remote, centralized, and unified control of all toll stations via a "regional cloud warehouse." This supports the deep integration of future toll collection, inspection, and monitoring services, laying the foundation for smart highway construction. 2. **Improved Management and Service Efficiency:** Toll lanes adopt a dual-antenna + dual-license plate recognition + barrier gate rear lane pre-transaction mode, separating the transaction area and the release area, effectively improving vehicle throughput. It solves the "adjacent lane interference" problem, increasing the ETC lane transaction success rate to over 99%. It allows for a collaborative service model combining online and offline, manual and self-service, improving special situation handling efficiency by more than 3 times. 3. **Optimized Construction and Operation Costs:** The cloud warehouse model and narrow island layout effectively reduce the scale of toll station buildings, canopies, and plaza construction, saving over 30% in construction costs. It enables unmanned operation and remote maintenance, reducing single-station maintenance personnel by 50% and significantly lowering operating costs. 4. **Enhanced System Reliability:** A multi-level disaster recovery mechanism ensures continuous system operation under extreme conditions, achieving 99.99% availability. Standardized interface design reduces equipment replacement and maintenance time by 70% and significantly improves system scalability.

[0066] It should be understood that when the various modules of the system provided in the above embodiments are working, the division of each functional module in the above description is only used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed. That is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0067] The functional modules in the above embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the embodiments of this application.

[0068] Based on the same concept, embodiments of this application also provide a toll collection method based on a normalized lane toll collection system at highway toll stations, including: The lane front-end function module interacts directly with vehicles in the lane, collects vehicle information, and executes specific control commands to guide vehicles and trigger transactions. The edge node processing module processes transaction data and image information from the lane front-end function module based on virtualization technology, and works with the cloud business management module 13 to manage business data for multiple lanes. The cloud business management module 13 manages the toll collection business of multiple toll stations in a unified manner.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the business process provided for an embodiment of this application.

[0070] The entire process begins when a vehicle enters the pre-transaction area. At this point, the pre-transaction antenna module deployed in this area proactively initiates a transaction request, pre-reading and attempting a pre-transaction on the vehicle's OBU or CPC card. This preliminary step is crucial for the overall efficiency of the process, aiming to complete the main information exchange and fee calculation before the vehicle fully enters the core transaction area, laying the foundation for rapid passage. Once the vehicle officially enters the lane, the process enters the information collection and queue management phase. The vehicle perception module begins working, accurately collecting information such as license plate and vehicle type, and incorporating the vehicle into the lane's queue control logic for unified scheduling. The system queries and updates the transaction status of each vehicle in the queue in real time, and performs a core judgment based on the pre-transaction or the results of this collection: whether the transaction was successful. This judgment point is the watershed of the process. If the judgment is "yes," meaning the transaction is successful, the system skips complex processing steps, directly controls the barrier release module to lift the barrier, and displays passage information to the driver through the information prompt module, allowing the vehicle to quickly leave, and the process ends. This design ensures seamless and rapid passage for the vast majority of standard ETC vehicles. If the result is "no," meaning the transaction failed, the process enters the emergency handling branch. The vehicle is guided to the self-service / manual transaction area. Here, the transaction module comes into play, providing a complete manual or self-service transaction process for MTC vehicles, or a self-service or remote assistance interface for ETC emergency vehicles (such as card malfunctions, insufficient balance, etc.). The emergency handling process involves collaboration with edge nodes and even cloud-based agents. Only after the problem is resolved and the transaction is completed will the system continue with the final gate release and information notification steps.

[0071] Please continue reading. Figure 5 , Figure 5This diagram illustrates the data flow of a toll collection method based on a standardized lane toll collection system at highway toll stations, as provided in this application embodiment. At the top level of the aforementioned business process is the Ministry of Transport's nationwide toll collection center system. As the national central hub, it is primarily responsible for formulating and distributing global parameters and rules, such as unified toll rate parameters and key list data (e.g., blacklisted vehicle information), to ensure consistent standards for toll collection across the country's highways. Below this is the provincial toll collection center system, which receives and executes instructions from the Ministry's center and is responsible for the core management of toll collection operations within its province. The provincial center receives and aggregates transaction data and license plate recognition data uploaded from its subordinate toll stations, while simultaneously distributing calculated billing modules, route parameters, and other key business logic to each toll station, serving as the core hub for business processing. At the bottom level of the diagram is the station-level system, which directly manages the daily operations of the toll stations. The station-level system receives and executes instructions and parameters issued by the provincial center and interacts in real-time with the modular lane equipment and remote monitoring stations on-site. It sends operation commands to the intelligent control unit in the lane and receives transaction requests, captured images, and other data uploaded by the intelligent control unit. After processing, it feeds back the transaction results and other data to the lane equipment for control and release, and uploads key data to the provincial center. In addition, the station-level system also supports remote duty seats and handheld terminals, realizing remote and mobile support for handling special situations and improving operational flexibility.

[0072] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A high speed toll station normalized lane toll system, characterized by, The application relates to a toll station management system, which comprises the following modules: a lane front-end function module arranged at the front end of a lane of a toll station and used for directly interacting with a vehicle in the lane, collecting vehicle information and executing control instructions; an edge node processing module arranged at an edge node of a toll station level and used for processing the vehicle information from the lane front-end function module based on a virtualization technology and cooperatively managing a plurality of lane service data in cooperation with a cloud service management module; and a cloud service management module deployed in the cloud and used for uniformly managing toll services of a plurality of toll stations.

2. The high-speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The edge node processing module is specifically used for: in an entry scenario, if a vehicle enters a lane, receiving the vehicle information, executing pre-transaction operations, verifying the validity of the vehicle information, writing entry information, in the case of successful transaction, sending a release instruction to the lane front-end function module to release the vehicle, and uploading transaction data to the cloud service management module; in an exit scenario, if a vehicle exits a lane, receiving the vehicle information, initiating a charging request to the cloud service management module based on the vehicle information, and receiving charging data returned by the cloud service management module to coordinate a transaction submodule of the lane front-end function module to complete a payment operation; in a special situation scenario, assigning a current special situation event to a remote special situation processing queue of the cloud service management module, uploading live video streams and transaction data of the special situation event, receiving a decision returned by the cloud service management module and executing the decision on a lane device in the lane front-end function module.

3. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module comprises a barrier module arranged at an entry of a lane of the toll station and used for controlling the opening and closing states of a barrier.

4. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module further comprises a pre-transaction antenna module arranged at the entry of the lane of the toll station and used for sensing a vehicle-mounted unit or a composite pass card to realize information pre-reading and transaction preprocessing.

5. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module further comprises a vehicle sensing module and a weighing module, both arranged on the lane of the toll station, the vehicle sensing module being used for collecting the vehicle information, and the weighing module being used for collecting weighing information of the vehicle.

6. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module further comprises an information prompting module and a canopy prompting module arranged above the lane position of the toll station, the information prompting module being used for prompting transaction information and guide information, and the canopy prompting module being used for prompting the opening and closing states of the lane.

7. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module further comprises a transaction module arranged at a lane transaction area of the toll station and used for executing a transaction process of an MTC vehicle and providing a self-service processing service of an ETC special situation.

8. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module further comprises a barrier release module, which is arranged at a lane release area of the toll station, and is used for controlling vehicle release, integrating display of fee amount information, passing indication information and alarm prompt information, and realizing capture of a license plate.

9. The high speed toll booth normalized lane toll system of claim 1, wherein, The lane front-end function module further comprises an island tail antenna module, which is arranged at an end of a lane of the toll station, and is used for providing a backup transaction opportunity in the case that an ETC vehicle transaction fails.

10. A toll collection method based on a high-speed toll gate normalized lane toll collection system, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: Through direct interaction between the lane front-end function module and a vehicle in the lane, vehicle information is collected, and specific control instructions are executed to complete vehicle guidance and transaction triggering; Through the edge node processing module, transaction data and picture information from the lane front-end function module are processed based on virtualization technology, and multiple lane business data are cooperatively managed in cooperation with the cloud business management module; Through the cloud business management module, toll business of multiple toll stations is uniformly managed.

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